The New Guy
by ImJudyGarland
Summary: Someone new and strangely familiar moves into the apartment across from the gang. Jess is intrigued. Nick is unnerved. Will this new friend be a welcome addition to the group? Or a roadblock to true love?
1. Chapter 1

The elevator opened, and Jess stepped inside and pressed 4. As the doors began to close, a man came running from the front of the building and grabbed the side of the door, pulling it open. Jess was a little startled as the man walked into the elevator and stood beside her. But the hasty elevator dash was not the reason she was startled.

Jess turned her head the the side, looking at the man in disbelief. He was about 5'10 with brown hair, crooked nose and a hint of stubble. He felt her watching and slowly looked over at her. She made contact with his brown eyes, unable to look away, however rude it might be to stare dead on at a stranger in an elevator.

But he didn't look like a stranger. At all. As he looked back into her wide sky blue gaze, he smiled, raising his eyebrows. "I'm sorry, do I know you?" She let her eyes wander over his familiar face, astounded at the resemblance.

Jess shook her head a little and looked down quickly before bringing her eyes back up to his. She cleared her throat and tried to answer, "Um...ah...no. No I don't think so." Before she could stop herself, she zeroed in on his eyes again, noticing the cool rim of amber surrounding warm brown sugar hues.

He laughed softly and she laughed back, still reeling. "Well, I'm Mark. Mark Jensen. I just moved into 4C."

Jess let out a deep breath and tried to act normal, which was not an easy thing for her to do on any given day, but especially now. "I'm Jess. I...I live in 4D."

"Wow, we're right across the hall from each other! I'm surprised we didn't cross paths while I was moving in over the weekend." His wide smile made it all the way up to his eyes, as he reached and took her hand in his, squeezing gently.

Jess was mesmerized. She felt him slowly tugging his hand away before she realized that she had been gripping his a little too tightly, and for a little too long.

She let his hand go and coughed, looking down at her palm at a sparkle of glitter left over from an art project she had worked on in class last week. "Uh, yeah, well I've been out at a teacher's retreat for the last two days. Maybe you saw one of the guys? I have three roommates."

"Yeah, I met Winston on Saturday. He helped me carry my sofa and kitchen table up. Really cool guy. Although I admit I'm a little freaked out by that guy Smith. He keeps staring and asking a lot of questions. Like, have I ever been to Chicago and do I have a checking account."

Jess giggled and the elevator doors opened to the fourth floor. They both got out and stood in front of his apartment. "Actually, it's Schmidt. And he's really not so scary once you get to know him."

Mark looked at her skeptically, and she laughed out loud. "Okay, actually, he's still pretty scary even then, but you get used to him."

Jess couldn't take her eyes off of his face. He chuckled and paused a moment before asking, "Hey, I hope this isn't rude, but you're really giving me the once over...in a totally uncreepy way by the way. But, I have to ask, is something wrong?"

Jess broke contact with his eyes, shuffling her feet a little before answering. "No, nothing is wrong. I just have to ask...have you met Nick yet?"

"Nick? Uh, no I don't think so. He's your other roommate?"

"Yeah. And you...well, you look a lot like him. Like A LOT. I'm really sorry if I've been staring, it's just...I can't get over the resemblance. His name is Nick Miller. He's 32 years old, from Chicago and moved out here and went to USC. He works as a bartender at Clyde's in the city. You don't know him, do you?"

Mark looked up and thought for a moment, "Um...no, I don't believe I have. But I am from Chicago, and I did go to USC, oddly enough. I can't say that we've met. But you've got my curiousity peaked. Hey, I've got an idea. Why don't you all come over tonight for drinks? I think I've got my apartment in pretty good shape for a few guests. What do you say?

Jess grinned at his widening smile and nodded. "Sure, that sounds great."

Mark walked into his apartment and turned back around quickly, watching her move through the front door of apartment 4D. He smiled to himself, trying to remember if he had ever seen blue like that before.


	2. Chapter 2

"I'm serious you guys. I've been online all weekend, and I'm sure!" Schmidt practically screamed the words at Jess and the guys as they sat around the kitchen table.

Nick tried to calm him down. "Look, Schmidty, buddy, if I had been in on a super secret lab experiment in which they produced a human clone of me, don't you think I'd know about it? And do you really think I'd be able to keep something like that a secret?"

Schmidt jumped up and circled the table before pacing back and forth in front of the island. "Well, what if you didn't know about it? Remember when you had your appendix taken out Junior year? They could've done it then! Those hacks in the Biology department at USC were always trying to get guinea pigs to volunteer for their crazy projects. What if the university made a deal with the hospital and voila! Nick 2.0!"

Jess got up and grabbed Schmidt's arm, stopping him mid rant. "Schmidt he's right. That is completely ridiculous. I admit, I was thrown when I met Mark."

She turned and looked at Nick, noting how tense his face had suddenly become. "You guys really are practically identical. It freaked me out too."

Nick leaned back in his chair, raising the Heisler bottle to his lips and taking a quick sip. "Okay, you guys are really going off the deep end. We can't be that much alike."

He made eye contact with Jess and she held his gaze. She had only been living with the guys for a year, but she already had developed a connection with Nick. They had become strong friends since he broke it off with Caroline last spring.

Jess had not been in a relationship for several months. She had been busy with work and a lot of her free time just happened to be spent with Nick. She helped him to take care of himself by making him eat vegetables two or three times a month and hanging with him at the bar several nights a week whenever he was working there. He opened jars for her and let her convince him to go with her on shopping trips, doctor appointments or any time she needed a plus one.

It was a little odd how much time they spent together, without moving things to the next level. Winston told Nick he was her _boyfriend without the rewards_. He tried to deny it, but had no solid argument that it wasn't true. Their attraction to each other was apparent to them both, yet they never talked about it. They cared about each other and depended on each other. Neither of them wanted to lose that, so staying friends seemed like the best way to go.

But the hope of something more rested in the periphery of both of their minds. That hope kept Nick company on cold nights when his resistance was low and Jess was sitting close to him on the couch. Or when he passed her in the hall after she had just gotten out of the shower, wrapped in a towel, her body covered in moisture and the scent of coconut.

He occasional toyed with the idea of just telling her how he felt. He wanted more. He just didn't know how to say it. Or how she felt about it.

He had experienced rejection with most every woman he had ever been with. But he had never been as close to anyone as he was to Jess. And the thought of losing what they had together was enough to keep him paralyzed.

Winston got up and walked toward the front door. "Look guys, I'll admit the resemblance is strong. But how about we all just go on over and get to know the guy. He really seems pretty cool. We'll have some drinks and just hang. Sometime when you know someone better, it changes the way you look at them."

Jess walked over to Nick and put her hand on his arm. He looked down at her hand for a few minutes before looking up at her. "Please Nick? Couldn't you at least try to get to know him?"

"Jess, why is this so important to you? You just met the guy. What, you think he's your potential soul mate? You're just trying to get us used to him already?"

Jess brought her hands together in front of her and clasped them together loosely. "Maybe."

NIck tried to hide the instant possessive sensation causing his gut muscles to clench.

He cleared his throat and put the bottle down on the table. _Dammit_. He knew he was just going to let her wear him down eventually. "If he's got hard liquor, I'm in."

~NG~

Mark sat in a dark leather chair in his living room. Jess and the guys sat on the large matching sofa opposite him. Mark shifted uncomfortably, lifting his glass of Stoli and taking a slow drink.

Nick sat watching Mark closely. As soon as he walked into his apartment, he had reluctantly admitted to himself that they did indeed look alike. He was a little intimidated by Mark's cool confidence and had immediately taken the glass of Russian vodka he offered him and threw it back quickly. _Hmm, my favorite too._ Then did the same when Mark offered him another. And another. And another.

Nick grumbled unintelligible words under his breath, swirling his current drink around in his glass. He just stared at Mark, wondering if his mom had left out an extremely important detail from the day he was born. Schmidt sat next to Nick and was giving Mark a similar inspection, minus the drunkeness and family history angst.

"So Mark, what do you do for work?" Jess tried to ignore the way Nick was clenching and unclenching his right fist.

"I'm an actor. I did improv with Second Nature while I was at USC. I got my degree in Theater there, then started auditioning soon after. I booked several commercials, made some good money doing that for a while. I did a small indie film this summer, should be out sometime next spring. For the moment, I'm working as a bartender at Jake's down on Hollywood Boulevard."

He looked at Jess and smiled. She tentatively smiled back, nervous about the ripple of attraction she was sensing between her and Mark. And she was having a hard time processing this with Nick sitting obviously smashed next to her. His left side was pressed lightly against her right side, and she could feel his leg's constant shaking, a habit he had when he was in an uncomfortable situation.

Winston leaned over and whispered to Mark, "And how about the ladies? Have you met any famous women at the bar? You're probably fighting them off almost every night, am I right?"

Mark laughed and shook his head. "Uh, not really. There's the occasional actor/actress, but mostly it's tourists and select local regulars who just really enjoy craft beer. You guys should come by sometime when I'm working. Drinks will be on the house."

Nick heard free drinks and that seemed to wake him from his stupor. "Yes! Free beer. That's what I'm talking about. I like you Mark. You are a great guy. I really enjoy your leather couch and chair, and your 65 inch plassshma tv. You're a really neat guy too, Mark. You don't have any take out boxes laying around. You knew company was coming and you keep things clean. I like that..."

Mark laughed and caught Jess' eye. "Yeah well, I wanted to make a good impression." He kept his eyes on her for a few more seconds, before focusing back on the guys.

Schmidt wanted a few answers himself. "So, Mark. When you were at USC, you didn't happen to spend any time in the Biological Sciences department, did you? Undergo any experiements? It's okay, you don't have to answer. I'm sure you signed confidentiality agreements and were probably fully compensated, right?"

Mark raised his eyebrows and laughed. "Ah, no Schmidt. Never participated in any research. I did date someone who was pre-Med, but that's about as close as I would've gotten to that arena."

Jess watched Mark, noticing how well he was taking all the scrutiny. He seemed amused by it more than anything. He had a quiet confidence and was very easygoing. If she was a guy, she'd want to have a beer with him.

"So, Nick, Jess tells me that we have a lot in common. Well, other than the obvious, I hear you're from Chicago. Which part?"

Nick cocked his head to the side and answered. "Winnetka."

"Wow. I grew up there. Tiny little hamlet, that town. I can't believe we never met before." Mark looked Nick up and down, and spoke like he wasn't sure anything he was saying was getting through.

Nick laughed. "Yeah, well Pete Wentz from Fall Out Boy is from there, too, and have you ever met him? Nope, didn't think so. Moving on. So, Markkk. Mark Jenseeeeen. You're an actor? So I guess that means you have a lot of money, huh?"

"Nick!" Jess put her hand up over her forehead and looked at Mark apologetically. "Sorry. He basically has no filter when he's inebriated."

Mark smiled at Jess before answering Nick's question calmly. "Ah, no, actually. The movie I just did was independent and that usually means you're not going to be getting paid much. But it's good exposure if it does well. Could lead to other projects, hopefully. The main thing is getting it in at Sundance and into theaters, even if the release is limited."

Schmidt saw an opportunity and he jumped on it. "So, do you know Kanye? Listen, you must have an in with the rich and famous by now. Have you worked with anyone noteworthy?"

Mark looked amused. "I've met a few people since I first moved here. Some I met at audtions in the last couple years who now are fairly well known. Not really anyone who could help you out, Schmidt. Sorry. But I promise, the day I meet Kanye, you'll be the first one I call, deal?"

Schmidt grinned widely. "See? I knew I like this guy. He's genuine. The real deal. So, are you gonna give us a tour of the place?"

"Well it's pretty much a carbon copy of your place. That's what the landlord told me anyway. Anyone else get a strange vibe from that Remy guy? The other day he told me I'd 'make a good number three.'

Jess laughed, remembering one particular evening involving Remy, Nick and the phrase _Underpants Captain_. "Actually, I have a story about that, but it would probably be for another time."

Mark rubbed his thumb over his beard as he calmly watched Jess. Sitting on his sofa. Red dress, black boots. It suddenly made him think of a song. _Big black boots, long brown hair..._

"Well, Jess, I'd love to hear your story. Sometime." His eyes locked onto hers and Jess smiled back at him. _Yeah, I'm asking her out. Definitely_.


	3. Chapter 3

Jess stood in front of her bedroom mirror, frowning at her reflection. "I dunno, CeCe, don't you think this is a bit...slutty?" She turned around slowly, eyeing herself in the short black halter dress CeCe had insisted she buy for her date with Mark.

"Exactly." CeCe got up quickly and grabbed Jess' arm, stopping her on her way to the closet. "No, you're not changing Jess. Listen, it's okay to look hot for a first date. And right now, you are _owning_ that dress, Jess."

Jess flopped down on her bed and threw her arms over her head. "I just feel so, I don't know, uncertain. Mark is a great guy, from what I can tell. It's just..."

"The Nick thing." CeCe finished for her.

"Well, yeah. I guess. But that's just it, Ceece, I don't even know what that _thing_ is. Is it that they look so much alike? Or the fact that I've been spending so much time with Nick lately that dating someone just feels a bit...wrong?"

"Jess, you're not doing anything wrong. You and Nick are just friends, right? You're a single woman going out with a single man. Is it strange that this man just happens to resemble your roommate? Yeah. But you can't let that stop you from living your life. And right now that means you are going out tonight with a handsome, emotionally available man."

"Alright." Jess said in a small voice.

CeCe laughed. "That's the best you can do? Come on, we're gonna get you a glass of wine, or two, and get you nice and relaxed."

Jess let CeCe pull her up and out into the common area of the loft. All the guys were there, watching a game on tv.

"Whoa, Jess! Who let the dirty slut out of the sluthouse?" Schmidt put his hands together in silent applause.

Winston whistled loudly, "Whew, Girl! You gonna get you some tonight!" He stopped abruptly and looked at Nick, who was in the process of one of the most monumental turtle-frowns he had ever seen on him.

"Pie. What I meant was, you're going to get some pie tonight. Cuz...I know you really enjoy...pie." Winston cleared his throat, picking a spot on the area rug to study.

Nick stared hard at Jess without saying a word. Jess grasped the hem of her dress self-consciously and tried to pull it down lower on her legs. She tried not to look at Nick, but she kept glancing his way nervously. She knew what he was thinking. She was thinking it too._ This is weird_.

She took the glass of pink wine from CeCe and quickly drained it's contents. CeCe immediately poured her another.

Schmidt was getting a bottled water from the fridge when he saw her making haste with her second glass. "Wow, Jess! You gotta slow down. You're not the best with alcohol. I get it, you're nervous. It's perfectly natural. I just wanna say one thing." Schmidt leaned in closer and whispered. "You are to promptly text me your location and directions if you meet up with any A-listers. Same page?"

Knock at the door. Jess finished her drink and ran to open the door. She could feel Nick's eyes on her back. She opened the door and quickly lost her breath. Mark was standing there in black dress pants, white shirt, black tie. His beard was neatly trimmed and she noticed that he bit his lip before handing her a single red rose.

"Kind of cheesy, I know, but I couldn't resist." He looked straight into her eyes, and her stomach jumped at his look of pure admiration.

Jess took the rose and laughed softly, "Thank you, Mark, it's beautiful."

CeCe was standing nearby, eyes glued to them both, gauging their responses to each other. CeCe had always been intuitive when it came to men and women and relationships. Jess took one look at her and knew they'd be having a major breakdown of this doorway scene later on.

Jess handed the rose to CeCe and took Mark's hand.

"Shall we?" She smiled up at him and they headed into the elevator. Nick watched as the doors closed behind them with a ping, then headed straight for his room. He needed to be alone.

~N/J~

"So, you're a teacher?"

"Yeah, I work at Coolidge Middle School. I've always wanted to work with kids, show them their potential, help them realize all they have to offer, you know?"

"Absolutely. That's really admirable, Jess. You're doing what you love and making a difference doing it. What could be better than that?"

Jess smiled as she watched him raise his beer to his lips, taking a few swallows. He noticed her watching and smiled back from behind the glass.

"So...acting. That has to be an exciting job, right?"

Mark laughed, "Yeah, it can be. But not in the way you might think. I'm kind of just starting out, so it's not like I'm clubbing with Leonardo and Tobey all the time. It's the creative process that I love. Getting into a scene and connecting with someone. Working together to create a moment that is just organic and real. It's a great feeling."

Jess looked down at her glass, watching the bubbles float around the top of her drink. "So, you've did a movie this summer? That sounds awesome."

"Yeah it was an indie film. You get a measure of creative freedom with those types of films, and it was a really cool few weeks we spent shooting it."

"Anyone I'd know in it?"

Mark laughed softly. "Not really supposed to talk about projects until they're announced, but let's just say it involved a certain television actress who's name rhymes with Staubrey Slaza."

Jess' eyes grew wide. "Are you kidding me? I love her! So how was it working with her?"

Mark chuckled at her enthusiasm, "Really great. She's got a rep for being a little bit deadpan, but she couldn't be nicer, and it was a lot of fun working with her."

"Do you have any other movies coming up?"

"Not right now, but I've been talking with my agent about a project possibly for next summer. Something to do with a brewery. Don't have all the details yet, but it sounds right up my alley."

Jess sat across from Mark, mesmerized. She just could not stop looking at him. Mark laughed. "So, not that I'm not flattered, but you're doing it again."

Jess shook herself out of the slight daze she was in, "What? Oh. I'm sorry, Mark."

He looked down at the table and said softly, "Is it Nick? I noticed a vibe between you two at the loft yesterday. Did you guys have a thing? Don't get me wrong, it's not a problem if you did. It's just, well, since we are kind of _similar_, it just makes me wonder if it's me you're looking at...or him."

"What? No! That's not it at all. Mark, I think you're a great guy. And yeah, you do look like Nick. And Nick and I are really close friends, but that's all. Just friends."

He looked at her, not quite sure if he believed that she believed her own words.

Jess looked him in the eye. "I'm really glad to be here with you now. Mark."

She timidly reached her hand across the table and rested it on top of his lightly for just a moment. Mark grinned widely and just as she was taking her hand back, he grabbed it and squeezed, running his thumb over her knuckles. "I like being with you too, Jess."

~N/J~

Mark walked Jess off the elevator and down the hall in front of 4D. He took her hands in his.

"Jess I had a really great time tonight. You are a beautiful, interesting and cool lady."

Jess let his compliments sink in, enjoying them. Not thinking about who was on the other side of that door. Not thinking about anything but tanned skin, stubble, warm mouth as Mark leaned in and gently brushed her lips with his. Jess held her breath as he lingered there, listening as he breathed in deeply. She felt a little dizzy as their lips drew apart and he reached his hand up and stroked her cheek.

"Goodnight, Jess," he whispered.

Jess watched him turned and walk toward his apartment. He stopped when he reached his door and turned around and winked at her before closing the door behind him.

"Goodnight Mark."


	4. Chapter 4

Jess walked through the front door of the loft and jumped when she saw Nick leaning back on the couch, beer in hand. "Hey."

"Hey."_ Had he been waiting up for her?_ Jess felt uneasy and a little off-guard at his perusal of her body, and the way he dragged his eyes up her frame before landing on her face. _This stupid dress._

"So, how was your...date?" Nick took a slow sip from the bottle, his eyes lingering on her the whole time.

"My date? It was, uh, it was good. Good. Really nice, and just, you know...good." She didn't know why she was suddenly incapable of having a simple conversation with Nick without stumbling all over her words. She had been on dates before. Nick had been on dates. Why was there this unnamed tension between them at the subject? She walked to the fridge for something to wet her dry lips.

"Well, good." He mimicked. He watched her walk into the kitchen. Watched her dress ride up on her legs as she lean in and grabbed a bottled water. He couldn't take his eyes off her. He tried to ignore the tightness in his stomach at the question that had been rolling around in his mind all evening. He didn't care if it was crazy to ask. He had to know.

"So, did you sleep with him?"

Jess whirled around, her water bottle spilling down the front of her dress. "What?!"

Nick talked quickly, "Because if you did, I can't even begin to tell you how weird that would be for me. I mean, you have sex with him, you're basically having sex with me."

Jess felt her face heating up with embarrassment and anger. "That is the most ridiculous...most offensive...ughhhh! Not that it's any of your business, but no, I didn't sleep with him. And if I did decide to have sex with Mark, it would be _sex with Mark_, you got that? Just because you look alike does not make you the same person, Nick."

Nick swallowed hard, feeling nauseated at her use of those words, _sex with Mark_. He shook his head and sighed deeply, trying to recover.

"Jess, I'm just worried about you. He seems like an okay guy, but I know you. You're letting yourself get swept up in this guy way too fast. I just don't want you to get hurt."

Jess' eyes softened at his concern. "I'm a big girl, Nick. I can take care of myself."

"Okay, fine. That's fair. But I have just one more question." He might as well just get down to it now. He got up and stood in front of her, close enough to be smacked senseless if she didn't like what he had to say.

"Did he kiss you tonight? And, if he did kiss you, did your mind not drift to me, even for a split second?" His eyes bored into hers, not willing to miss the answer he knew her eyes would give him. He knew her too well.

Jess didn't move. She felt helpess at the intensity of his stare. Immobilized. Her body trembled at his closeness, breathing in the familiar scent of Old Spice and unlaundered clothes that was just _Nick_.

That scent usually comforted her, let her know she was with a friend, someone who knew her and cared about her. But tonight she felt unsettled, their unspoken attraction rising up between them and creating a growing heat in the center of her belly. All thoughts of Mark, and his very recent kiss, were forgotten.

"Nick." She felt him take her hand in his, felt him squeeze it gently. Watched as his eyes dropped to her mouth, his breath growing shallow when he saw her lick her parched lips.

His eyes roamed her face one more time before he let her hand go and stepped away. "Just be careful, Jess. That's all I'm saying."

Her eyes stayed on him as he walked down the hall to his room and closed the door.

~N/J~

"So he kissed you?" CeCe intended to get every detail.

Jess smiled and looked at the floor. "Yes, he kissed me."

"And? How was it?"

"It was good. Really good. We had a great time."

"Okay, tell me everything now." CeCe gathered her legs up under her on the couch.

Jess laughed. "It couldn't have gone better. We went to a really nice restaurant, ate amazing food, talked and laughed a lot."

"And how do you feel about him?"

Jess put her face in her hands, sighing. "I don't know. I don't know how I feel about him. It's complicated. And I know what you're going to say, that it's only complicated because I'm making it that way. And maybe that's true. But I can't help it, Ceece."

She leaned back on the couch on her side, her elbow under her head.

"I like him a lot. At least I think I like _him_."

"Not the Nick thing again? Jess, we talked about this. They are two completely different people."

Jess groaned. "I know. Mark is easygoing, sweet and funny. He's got ambition. He know what he wants to do with his life, and he's going for it. And then there's Nick. He's grumpy and surly and his life is in complete disarray right now. But he's also caring and basically one of the best friends I've ever head. He takes care of me and he makes me feel like I can just be me." She sighed loudly.

"The thing is...I'm attracted to them _both_. Is that terrible? I know they are separate people, but they do look the same. Which is_ damn good_."

"Jess, you are making this harder than it needs to be. Let's just lay it all out there. Do you have feelings for Nick?"

Jess kept her hands on her face, rubbing up and down. Suddenly realizing this was a Nick gesture, she pulled her hands away and looked at CeCe. "Yes. Of course I have feelings for him. How can I not? We've become really close in the last few months. I've never felt so comfortable with a guy before." She didn't mention their interlude in the kitchen last night.

"So, why don't you tell Nick how you feel?" CeCe offered the obvious.

"Because. What if he doesn't feel the same? What if he does, and we try and it doesn't work out. I don't want to lose him. I don't know how I would handle that."

CeCe nodded. "Well, we all know Nick Miller's tendency to keep his feelings in reserve. This is my advice. Give him an opportunity. It doesn't have to be blatant, just something to let him know the door is open. If the guy's not able to man up and tell you that he wants you, then maybe that's your answer."

Jess stood up, putting her purse on her shoulder. "You're right, Ceece. I'll just open the door a little, lay out a little bait, and see if he bites."

CeCe laughed at her choice of words. "And if he bites, you bite him back, and then my friend you've got the makings of a really hot night!"


	5. Chapter 5

**Super-sized chapter today! I just couldn't find a good place to break it, so it kind of went on longer than I intended. Thanks SO MUCH for all of the positive reviews. It means a lot. Hope you like this one! **

Jess had just gotten home from CeCe's when she heard a knock at the door. Her immediate thought was, _Oh man, it's Nick!_ The she realized Nick wouldn't be knocking on his own door. Then she thought again and remembered, _He doesn't carry a key_.

She took a deep breath and swung the door open. It took her a moment to realize it was Mark. _Man, they're like identical cousins_.

"Hey, Jess." Mark paused, noticing her look of confusion. "Did I catch you at a bad time?"

Jess shook her head, trying to refocus. "No, I just got home, actually, so I'm just a little tired is all. Come on in."

Mark followed behind Jess on their way to the couch, when she tripped on the rug and started to fall forward. Mark grabbed her arms and pulled her back up, her body pressed hard against his chest.

She breathed in and out heavily, a little shaky from the near header into the coffee table. And also from the way she could feel his chest rising and falling against her back. He rubbed his hands up and down her bare arms for a moment. _Damn, that feels good._

"Are you okay? Wow, that was almost really bad. Here, come and sit down."  
Jess let him guide her to the sofa and he sat down beside her, taking her hand in his. He cocked his head sideways and looked at her questioningly.

Jess tried to control her rapid breathing and used her free hand to lightly touch her forehead. "Yeah. I'm okay. Thanks for the save." She laughed when she saw a slow grin appear on his scruffy face. He squeezed her hand and laughed back.

"Hey, Jess, I just wanted to say, I had a really great time with you last night. I was wondering if you wanna go see a movie on Friday? There's a couple really killer films that just came out recently. What do ya say?" Mark raised his eyebrows, his fingers absently playing with hair on his chin as he patiently waited for her answer.

Jess was speechless. Mark seemed to have a way of holding her gaze with focused attention, but also with a sense of levity that made her feel at ease around him.

Winston came out of his room, heading for the kitchen. "Hey, Mark. What's up man?"

"Hey Winston. Oh, you know what? I was gonna tell you guys. I'll be working at Jake's tonight and thought you all might wanna come by. Drinks are on the house."

Winston shut the fridge and popped the top of his Diet Coke, taking a quick sip. "Sure, man, that sounds great. I'm off work tonight and I think Nick is too. We'll have to check with Schmidt, but I'm guessing he'll be on board too. Just make sure you hide all your pop stars and supermodels in a private room. Schmidt gets a little excited around celebrities. Well, I guess you heard about that."

Mark laughed. "Absolutely. Well, cool. Okay, listen, I have to go." He focused his attention back on Jess. "So...I'll see you tonight?"

Jess felt disappointed but a little relieved that she had somehow dodged his second date query. "Yes. Definitely. We'll be there."

Mark winked at Jess and squeezed her knee, then got up and waved at Winston as he headed out the door.

~N/J~

Nick sat at the bar at Jake's, swirling the bourbon around in his glass. _How did I let Jess talk me into this?_ Mark topped off a couple wine glasses and came back to check on Nick. "Hey, man. Want me to freshen that up for you?"

Nick smiled thinly and passed his glass across the bar. "Yeah, thanks."

Mark filled his glass with Southern Comfort and set it in front of Nick again. "Thanks for the drinks, man."

Mark smiled, "Yeah, those are the perks of being a bartender. But, you know that, right?"

Nick took a long draw from his glass, swallowing hard. Where was Jess? And Schmidt and Winston for that matter? They were all supposed to meet here at seven, but so far no one but Nick had shown. He raised his eyes back up to Mark, watching him run a cloth over the bar and then fill up the Chex Mix that Nick had almost emptied.

Mark looked at Nick wryly. "So, kinda weird, huh? The resemblance. Strangely, I don't have any Millers in my family line. Got any Jensens in yours?"

Nick lauged softly. "Uh, no. Not that I know of. And yeah. I gotta admit, it's weird. Kind of like I just stumbled out of my Delorean and met myself in another space-time continuum."

Mark cracked up at his reference. "Yeah, right after you fixed the clock tower and knocked Biff out cold!"

Nick laughed out loud. _The guy knew Back to the Future. How bad could he be?_

Mark filled up a tall glass with beer and handed it to Nick, then filled one for himself, holding it up in a toast. "Well, here's to alternate realities and staying out of parked cars with your mom!"

Nick laughed again and raised his beer up to Mark before taking a drink. _Okay, so Mark's a pretty cool guy. And it's not the worst thing in the world to have a beer with the man._

~N/J~

Two beers later, after comparing notes, Nick and Mark both found out they were born in the same town, went to the same high school, same college and both were bartenders. Coincidence, but not impossible.

But that's when it started to get weird.

Mark grew up with and was best friends with one of Winston's cousins. Nick's uncle sold them both their first cars. And Mark's college girlfriend turned out to be Caroline's sister.

Nick's tipsy mind was whirling with government conspiracy theories when Jess and Schmidt came in together. "Hey, guys! You're here! Have a beer with me and Mark."

Jess looked at Mark and raised her eyebrows. He winked at her, and smiled at her surprise. "Yeah, Nick and me have been swapping stories. How we have lived our whole lives without meeting up is truly strange. What'll you guys have?"

Schmidt had grown tired of the Nick/Mark saga, moving on to bigger things. "I'll have a Midori Sour, and the digits of any eligible starlets in the area. Come on, you're a smooth guy, I know you've got numbers."

Mark stifled a smile, "The drink I can hook you up with, the ladies, not so much. You are really over estimating my connections, Schmidt. Really, I know very few people in the business. Just getting my feet wet right now. Once I make it big, I'll get you all the digits you want, dude."

Mark looked at Jess and grinned again. "And for the pretty lady?"

Jess blushed. "How about you decide? I'm up for something new."

Nick looked from Mark to Jess, the corner of his mouth gradually turning down. _Oh yeah, I forgot, I'm supposed to hate this guy. Why was he so damned likeable? _The way he looked at Jess was giving him a sickened feeling in his gut.

Mark brought Jess a Dirty Shirley Temple and watched as she sipped it. He leaned in closer and whispered to her, "So, Friday night? Are we on?"

Suddenly Jess heard a wretching sound and felt warm, sticky liquid all over her lap. Nick had just unloaded the contents of his stomach in Jess' general direction.

"Nick! Oh man! I cannot believe you just..." Jess was horrified.

Nick groaned and laid his head down on the bar. "Wow, man, I did not see that coming."

Mark ran around the bar and handed Jess a towel, which she used to try and mop up the puddle on her skirt.

Nick turned his head, looking embarrassed. "Jess, I am so sorry. I'm not drunk, really. I've only had a couple drinks. Maybe it was something I ate."

Mark came to his defense. "Seriously, Jess. He only had a bourbon and two beers. Nick seems like the kind who can hold his liquor."

"He is." Jess leaned over Nick, feeling his forehead. "Wow, Nick, you're burning up. You must have come down with something. Look, why don't I take you home. I'm a mess and you need to get some rest. Schmidt, can you drive Nick's car home?"

"Sure man. I'm gonna stick around for a while. Winston texted me he'll be here soon. Just gonna check out the happening after hours around here." Schmidt grabbed the straw of his drink and slurped loudly.

"Okay, great. I'll see you at home. Thanks Mark, I'll talk to you later?" Jess felt his hand on her arm.

"Absolutely. I'll call you, okay?" Mark watched as Nick and Jess left the bar together.

Schmidt blew out a loud breath. "Wow, you just can't catch a break, can you?"

Mark chuckled at Schmidt's aptly spoken words. "Yeah, well, it's not a race, man."

Schmidt grinned and sipped his _non-girly_ cocktail. "So, Mark. I've been thinking of getting myself an agent. You know, maybe taking some acting classes?"

Mark leaned over bar, covering his smile by rubbing his chin. "Schmidt, you're a really interesting dude. We should hang out more."

~N/J~

Nick didn't argue as Jess put her arm around his shoulder and guided him out to her car. As sick as he felt, he still enjoyed the feel of her body close to his. He turned his head the the left and breathed in the scent of her hair. Somehow, it helped calm the nausea.

Jess drove home, looking at him several times to make sure he was alright. She had to pull over once while he threw up on the side of the road. It wasn't easy getting him up the the loft, but once they were inside, she took him straight to his room.

He shivered as she pulled the covers up to his chin. She ran her hand down the side of his face, stroking his beard. He gazed up at her, cheeks flushed red. He looked like a little boy, all bundled up in his bed. The impulse to take care of him was strong. The need to be close to him, stronger.

"I'll be right back." She disappeared out his door for several minutes.

Nick coved his face in his hands, replaying the last half hour._ I threw up on Jess. Real smooth, Miller._

Jess returned with a cool washcloth, two Tylenol, a glass of Seven-Up and the waste basket from her room. She sat down on the side of Nick's bed and gently ran the washcloth over his face. "How you doing, Miller?" She smiled at the annoyed look on his face. There was the Nick she knew.

"Well, Jess, I just vomited on a lady in public. So, I guess that puts me somewhere slightly above Outside Dave." He winced as his stomach cramped up. He really didn't want her to see him like this, but inside he was fist pumping that she left the bar with him. That she stayed with him.

"Nick, don't worry about it. It's me, okay? I know it was an accident. You can't help it if you're sick. No worries, alright? Here, take these for the headache I know you have, and then you're gonna get some sleep. No arguments."

Nick swallowed the pills and took a few sips of the beverage before sliding down under the covers again.

Jess leaned over and pressed her lips to his forehead. Nick stopped and just stared as she drew back and looked into his glassy eyes. "That's how my mom used to test my temperature. The meds should help bring your fever down. Get some rest, okay?"

Jess got up and went to the door, turning back around to check on him one last time before closing his door gently.

Nick smiled weakly, the sensation of her lips on him making him feel better already as he drifted off to sleep.

Jess leaned against Nick's closed door, her breathing shallow. _Well, guess I'll have to open the door for him another time. _Her heart raced at the thought.


	6. Chapter 6

**I promise, we're on the way to better things. Really. Just be patient!**

It was 2 am, and Jess had just finished re-watching the lastest episode of _Once Upon a Time _she had dvr'd last weekend. She drank the last of her third cup of_ Eyes Wide Open _herbal tea. She wanted to be awake when Nick got home. But now she was desperately trying to get her mind off of the jittery feeling gripping her stomach as she waited up for him. She already felt on edge knowing what was coming.

_Yeah, maybe caffeine was not the smartest idea. _

She needed to talk to him. It was time. No more stalling. No more fear. Was anything ever going to happen between them?

She had never been more conflicted than she had been since she started dating Mark. Well, they had one date. Did that mean they were _dating_? Jess was tired of living in the greys.

The hope of something more with Nick was something that was just always there. She couldn't remember a time when that started. Possibility was a wonderful thing, but you can't live inside it for too long without any movement.

She spent all evening looking through her closet, trying to choose an outfit that said, "Let's have an honest conversation about love," but also suggested, "and then maybe you can bang me after." She chose a pair of black shorts, no tights, and pink low-cut halter tank. She wanted the girls in all their glory, front and center. She was no longer wasting time with subtlety.

Suddenly Jess heard the front door being opened. She had left it unlocked, because Nick Miller, no key. _Time to move, Jess. _

Nick came in and, seeing Jess, flopped down next to her on the couch. He let out a long groan. "Man. That was a long night." He looked over at her bare legs, moving his eyes up her body, then meeting her eyes. "You're up late."

Jess started to answer him that it was not at all unusual that she was alone and awake at 2 in the morning, when she noticed the sloppy bandage on his hand, and the blood that had soaked through it. "Nick! You're bleeding! What happened to your hand?" She took his forearm in her hand, trying to inspect what looked like a moderate amount of blood seeping through the flimsy material.

"It's fine, Jess. It's not bleeding anymore. That was from before. I was unpacking some boxes and got myself with the box cutter."

"Box cutter? Shit, Nick! You might need stitches. Come on, you at least need a new bandage, and I need more light to get a better look at it."

Nick sighed deeply, but followed her to the bathroom and stood quietly as she unwrapped the napkins and tape he had used to cover it. She held his hand over the sink, using a wash cloth to wipe away the drying blood around the wound. He winced when she dabbed it with an alcohol-soaked cotton ball.

"Well, it's not as bad as I thought. Looks like it stopped bleeding. I don't think you need any stitches." She took a large bandage she got from their first aid kit and gently re-wrapped his hand.

His hand was taken care of, but they both just stood there, not saying anything, not moving. Nick looked down, their hands were still touching, hers still holding on to his bandaged fingers. She noticed his perusal of her breasts, which he could not possibly miss at this close range. She felt a shiver run up her back as he kept his eyes there. After a few minutes, Jess looked up at him and smiled when his eyes met hers. He smiled back.

"Hey, uh, Nick? Can I ask you something?"

Nick's heart beat faster at her closeness, her skantily clad body, the way she was chewing on her bottom lip. He swallowed, then cleared his throat. "Um, okay. Sure, Jess."

"Do you ever think about the future?"

Nick blinked a few times, confusion taking over his face. "Uh, yeah. Sometimes."

"And, when you do, you know, think about it...what do you think?"

The late hour and his difficult evening was making it hard for him to follow her. Plus the fact that they were standing close together, alone, in the middle of the night. Yeah, that was not helping him think very clearly either.

He laughed softly. "Jess, it's going on three in the morning and you're asking me life questions in the bathroom? What's up?"

Jess shifted nervously. "I don't know. I've just been thinking a lot lately. About life. About love." Their hands were still touching, and Jess began to gently run her other hand up and down his arm. Nick held his breath, letting her, suddenly not caring what time it was or where they were.

Jess moved closer, her lips brushing his cheek. "Do you think this is ever going to happen, Nick?" She stayed close to his face, breathing raggedly. Nick brought his eyes gradually up to meet hers again. "I don't know," he whispered so quietly that she barely heard him, as close as they were.

He wanted to say something. He just didn't know what. He wanted her, and she wanted him. That much was smack-you-in-the-face plain. The familar feeling of fear began to take over. How could he ever be good enough for her? How could he ever give her what she needed?

Just then Schmidt came stumbling through the door, on his way to the urinal. Nick moved back quickly, grabbing his newly bandaged hand from Jess and holding it against his side.

Noticing them standing there, looking guilty, Schmidt knew something was up. "Alright you guys. What have you done? All secretive in the bathroom at 3 am. Well, I'm tired and I have to pee, so if you two could just, scram now. We'll talk in the morning about whatever you guys are conspiring about me."

Nick walked out the door fast, Jess followed close behind him. They both stopped in front of their bedroom doors. Jess stayed quiet, waiting. She wanted to keep talking. She had felt that Nick was on the verge of opening up, but then he seemed to pull back again. Same as always. One step forward, two steps back.

Nick opened his door, then turned and looked at Jess, standing in the hallway. She looked so sad, so vulnerable. He just couldn't give her what she wanted. Not now. Maybe not ever.

"Goodnight, Jess."

Jess looked down at the floor, not willing to let him see the tears welling up, ready to fall as soon as she was safely behind her bedroom door. "Goodnight, Nick."

Nick closed his door and threw himself on his bed, groaning at the pain in his hand. He felt like he had just run a knife into his own gut. He tortured himself by replaying the last ten minutes over and over in his head. Her hand holding his. Her body so close to him. Her soft lips on his cheek. Her sweet scent surrounding him. She was clearly giving him an opening. Talking about love, the future. He just couldn't do it. Couldn't be the man she needed.

Even though it hurt like hell, he knew he had done the right thing. He continued to talk himself down for the next few hours. Not sleeping. Convincing himself that it wasn't fair to Jess to let her believe there could ever be anything between them. By 6 am, after he had run through every argument in his head, he had managed to make himself believe it.

He finally fell into an unrestful sleep, dreaming of soft red lips and perfect breasts that would never be his.


	7. Chapter 7

"This is the best spaghetti sauce I have ever had in my life!"

Mark grinned widely. "Yeah, well I can't take credit. My mom's recipe. Hers puts my attempts to shame, though. You want more?"

Jess nodded and sipped on her wine while Mark ladeled more sauce onto her pasta. He smiled and just watched her while she ate.

"Mark! Are you just gonna sit there and watch me make a pig of myself?"

"Yeah, pretty much."

"Okay then. You think that's gonna stop me? I have no shame in eating great food." Jess wound her fork in circles on her plate and brought a huge mound of pasta to her mouth, shoving in the whole forkful. She closed her eyes and moaned loudly.

Mark laughed out loud. "Now I know what your food-sex face looks like! You want me to leave you two alone?"

She writhed slightly in her chair. "Oooh, yeah, that's good."

"Oh, so you wanna get weird? Let's get weird!" Mark grabbed his fork and stabbed it in the center of his pasta, scooping it up and slurping random strands of spaghetti into his mouth. "Awwwww, yeah! That's the stuff." Sauce covered his mouth and ran down his chin. He caught her eye and wagged his eyebrows at her.

Jess reached over and swatted at his arm, laughing so hard she could barely breathe. She had to admit to herself that she was having a great time with Mark. When the movie didn't work out on Friday, Mark had called and invited her to dinner at his place on Saturday night. She realized that she had been trying to avoid him for days, not sure how far she wanted things to go with him. But here she was, at his place, talking and laughing and drinking, and just enjoying hanging out with him.

Every so often she would look at Mark and her mind would drift to a certain member of apartment 4D. Whenever Mark ran his hands through his hair, or gently tugged on the ends of his beard, she thought of him. Of Nick.

_Well, damn it, who can blame me? They are identical, and they even have some of the same mannerisms_!

Jess' mirth faded as she remembered the last time she saw Nick. He had been on his way out the door for a night shift at the bar. Jess was dressed in her red dress with the black belt. He liked that one, he told her so once before. It wasn't intentional that she had picked that dress to wear on her date with Mark.

But as she stood outside her bedroom wearing it, Nick looking her body up and down, she felt terrible. The last thing she wanted to do was hurt him. She knew how he felt, and how he was deliberately putting up barriers between them because he thought he wasn't good enough. She knew him so well. But if he didn't want her enough to fight for her, well, what was she supposed to do?

"You look good, Jess."

"Thanks, Miller." She had looked him in the eye briefly before he mumbled something about running late and then left, closing the door on her. _Closing it on us. _

"Jess? You with me?" Mark leaned in close, waving his hand in front of her face.

She paused a moment, then shook her head a little. "Yeah. Yeah, I'm good. Sorry about that, I guess I'm just tired. It's been a long week. So, you've been working a lot lately? What have you been up to?"

Mark wiped the spaghetti sauce from his face. "Well, I heard from my agent. I had auditions a couple weeks ago for a tv show pilot. I got a callback last week, and the offered me the part yesterday. So...I'm in!"

"TV? Mark, that's amazing! So tell me about it."

"Well, it's about a single girl living with three guys."

"Wow! Is that gonna be on Showtime? Sounds kinky." Jess thew her head back, cracking up at herself.

Mark laughed wryly. "No! It's a sitcom for a network, so no kinky stuff. We're just shooting the pilot for now. The guys are her roommates, and it's basically about the girl, thirtysomething, trying to figure out her life after a break up."

Jess laughed softly. "Whoa. That sounds a little close to home, huh?"

Mark's eyes widened. "Hey, yeah. It does, doesn't it. I never thought of that before. Damn, I've never had so many strange meetings and coincidences since I moved to L.A. Freaky. So, you wanna know who the star is?"

Jess giggled, "Of course! Who?"

Mark paused for a moment. "You can't tell Schimdt. He'll be all over me 24/7 if he finds out. It's Chloe Chanel."

"Wow! Mark that's awesome! I love her movies. That'll be really cool to see her on tv. I'm really happy for you, Mark." Jess rose up and put her arms around him to congratulate him. Mark hugged her back, his hands moving around her.

They stayed that way for several minutes. Mark pulled back a little and looked into her eyes. Whatever it was between them, there_ it _was again. The corners of his mouth turned up for a moment as he met her gaze, then captured her lips in a simple kiss. They drew apart and looked at each other again. Mark gripped her waist more firmly, pulling her closer as their lips met again, this time with more urgency. Jess wrapped her arms around his neck and held on as she felt him guiding her to the couch.

She let him lower her down against a large pillow, his trim body moving onto hers. Their mouths moved together recklessly, Mark's hands roaming all over her body. Jess felt hot and cold at the same time. His lips moved down to her neck, gliding over her throat, and her hands slid into his hair, pulling on it over and over.

It felt so good. And it felt so bad. Her stomach clenched as an odd sensation started to take hold of her. She wanted him. Her body was responding to his touch. But was it really_ him _that she wanted?

As his mouth moved quickly back up to hers, she surrendered to it again. She felt his hands begin to stroke her thighs, moving steadily upward.

She didn't want him to stop.

And then she did.

Jess put her hands firmly against his chest, pushing him away. Mark raised his head up and looked into her eyes. "What's wrong?"

Jess sat up, putting her head in her hands, tears rolling down her cheeks.

"Hey, hey, Jess, what's the matter?" Mark rubbed her shoulder, trying to comfort her.

Jess met his confused yet compassionate gaze. She didn't deserve him.

"Mark, I'm sorry. I just can't do this. I'm so, so sorry."

Mark dropped his hand, leaning back on the couch. "It's Nick, isn't it."

Jess looked back at him in surprise. Was she that obvious? She nodded, leaning back into the couch next to him. "Mark, you are amazing. There is nothing that I don't like about you. We have such a great time together. But, this thing with Nick...it's kind of been going on for a long time. And the crazy thing is, we're not together. Never been on a date. We've never even kissed. But...he's my best friend. And I want more. And he doesn't."

Mark sighed deeply. "Jess it's okay. I'm not gonna say I'm not disappointed. I really think we could've had something good. But I sensed there was more between you and Nick from the beginning. I'm sorry you haven't been able to work it out between you two. Maybe he just needs time?"

Jess let out a humorless laugh. "Time. Right. That's all we've had is time. We've known each other for almost two years. Don't you think if it was going to happen, it would have by now?"

Mark reached over and took her hand, squeezing it reassuringly. "Not necessarily. Don't give up hope, Jess. If you are really meant to be, it'll happen."

Jess looked up into his clear eyes. "Wow, Mark. I can't believe I just kind of dumped you, and now you are giving me a pep talk to make it work with another guy. You're an amazing man, Mark. You're gonna meet someone extra special, I know it."

Mark's mouth quirked up into a half grin. "I did meet someone special. And I'd be really bummed if she said we couldn't stay friends?"

Jess squeezed his hand back. "Friends."


	8. Chapter 8

Jess sat in the hallway outside the principal's office, stunned at what had just happened. CeCe appeared from around the end of the hallway, heading straight for her.

"Jess, honey, are you okay? You don't look so good."

"I'm fine CeCe. I just got laid off. But check out my sparkly new hat. Cool, huh? But maybe I should've picked the sunglasses? They were green with rhinestones."

CeCe ignored the hat comment. She knew Jess. This was how she dealt with bad news. Stay calm, change the subject. But it would only last so long before the dam broke and the emotional tidal wave would eventually spill out.

"Jess, it's okay. You're allowed to be upset about this. You need to let yourself feel how much this sucks. But I know you, you're gonna bounce back. This is the moment before something amazing is going to happen for you. I know it."

Jess blew out a puff of air, laughing silently. "You're right. I shouldn't over think it. The hat was definitely the way to go."

~N/J~

Coming out of his bedroom, Nick was surprised to see Jess sitting on the couch, a box of school items laying on the floor at her feet.

"Jess? What are you doing here? Why aren't you at school."

Jess sat stone still and quietly answered in a monotone, "I got laid off."

"Wow. That's just...I'm sorry Jess." He didn't know what to say. He looked at her closely, trying to figure out if she was on the verge of a freak out. She didn't look like a woman on the edge. But memories of her first two weeks in the loft reminded him what she was capable of.

"It's okay. I guess I'm just a little bit in shock. Just gonna go to my room and process." Jess picked up her box and carried it to her room.

Nick kept and eye on her all day, waiting for an emotional reaction. But it didn't happen. She came out of her room an hour later and headed straight for the kitchen. She spent the next three hours baking an assortment of cookies, cakes and muffins.

When she caught his skeptical stare she sighed softly. "It's theraputic, Nick."

It had been a week of this, Jess baking, sewing, making ridiculous crafts that hung all over the loft. Nick knew this could only go on for so long. He kept an eye on her the whole time.

And he wondered about Mark. Ever since their date last week, Jess hadn't said word one about him, and he didn't seem to be home at all that week. Nick tortured himself nightly with images of them together in his apartment. In his bed.

Until Jess lost her job, she and Nick had not spoken much. The tension of the situation and their differing work schedules kept them from talking about the pink elephant in the room. Jess wanted to be with him. And Nick was too afraid to make a move. So Jess was dating Mark. And it was killing him.

But when Jess lost her job, he went into protective mode. He couldn't help himself, he had to make sure she was alright. When she was down, he wanted to pick her up. And she always did the same for him. When it came down to it, they needed each other. And no matter what was happening between them, he wasn't about to let her down now.

Schmidt came through the loft door, waking him temporarily from his gloomy thoughts.

"Alright, Miss Day! I've got just the thing to get you out of this pre-meltdown phase that is clearly in a race against the clock. I'm throwing a party! It's going to be tonight at Nick's bar, and it is going to be epic! I've decided to offer you the job of head shot girl. What do you think?"

Jess jumped up and down a few times, then ran over and gave Schmidt a quick hug. "That sounds amazing! I am going the be the best shot girl you've ever seen!" Turning to Nick, she smiled. "See Nick, I've already got a job. This is gonna be great!"

Nick's mouth turned down and he let out a short grunt. "Jess, are you sure about this? You're kind of, hmm how do I put this, unstable at the moment? Schmidt, you really think it's a good idea to have an emotional time bomb pouring shots all night?"

Schmidt shrugged. "Point taken. But since this is kind of short notice, I don't really have a lot of options. So Jess, you're in."

"Yes! Just wait, I'm gonna rock the hottest shot girl outfit I can find. This is great, Schmidt. Just what I needed." Jess ran off to her room and slammed the door.

Nick looked back at Schmidt, shaking his head. Schmidt shrugged again. "Well, if nothing else, this will speed up the process. She could go from denial to crying on the floor to the Dirty Dancing soundtrack in one night."

~N/J~

Nick watched as Jess climbed down off the bar and handed him the bottle.

She just needed to get some space, some air. She hadn't known where she was going until she found herself pulling up the the front of the middle school.

It wasn't twenty minutes later, and Nick was right behind her. His car rattled up next to hers. He killed the engine and got out, sitting next to Jess on the hood of her car.

"I don't know what I'm doing, Nick." Jess hugged her arms around her against the evening chill, silent tears falling down her cheeks. Nick just nodded, letting her cry quietly.

He knew how how important being a teacher was to her, how it informed her identity, made her who she was. Her constant optimism is what made her such an amazing teacher. And it was infectious. Hell, even he felt lighter and more open to possibility when she was around. He wasn't used to this down-and-out version of Jess that sat beside him now, staring into the night sky without really seeing the stars.

Now they were quiet. Not saying anything. Not needing to. That's what was so perfect about their friendship. They knew each other so well, they didn't need to talk everything out or try to explain to each other how they were feeling all the time. They could just let each other be.

Jess felt Nick's arm move around her, guiding her head onto his shoulder. She leaned into it, allowing him to comfort her. It felt nice. She had spent the last week just feeling numb, not quite letting the emotions register inside her. The last time she felt that way was after Spencer. Then the dam broke and everything broke loose. She didn't want to think about that right now.

Jess let her mind linger on the fact that Nick was here with her. He had come after her. It felt so good to be close to him. She pushed away the sadness that usually came along with it. She didn't want to remember how he kept her at arm's length, when all she wanted to do was be with him.

Nick's arm held her tighter against him. She heard him breathe in deeply, then exhale slowly. She felt him press a kiss to the top of her head. Then he did it again, his lips lingering in her soft hair. His free hand move up to cup her chin, his fingers stroking her there for moment before he lifted her head up to look at him. When her eyes met his she held her breath. She had never seen his eyes look so dark and_ chocolatey _before.

_Chocolatey? Yeah, that's a word. _Before her erratic mind could think about it further, his lips had captured hers into a long, slow kiss. She kissed him back, her tongue peeking out occasionally and sliding gently against his. The air around them was suddenly close and charged, enveloping them, pulling them closer into each other as they let themselves give in to the moment.

After several minutes, Nick pulled away and looked at her. Her blues held onto him, claiming him. _Mine_, they said. His deep browns readily agreed. His arms slid around her quickly as he dove in hastily for another kiss. Jess threw her arms around his neck and pulled his head down, her mouth taking full possesion of his. Nick's hands were moving all over her back, caressing her. Jess moaned softly and ran her hands through his hair. Nick grunted against her lips as her fingernails grazed against his scalp again and again.

Suddenly Jess ripped her body away from him, jumping down off the car and holding her hand over her burning mouth. Surprised, Nick slid off the hood and leaned against the bumper, breathing heavily.

Jess turned toward him, but kept her eyes on the ground, refusing to look at him. "You don't have to say anything, Nick. It's fine. I'm emotional and you're my friend, and you're just trying to make me feel better. I get it."

Nick pushed himself away from the car and stood in front of her, trying to get her to look at him. "No! Jess, that's not what I'm doing. You don't understand."

Jess let out a mirthless laugh. "No, Nick, I do understand. Believe me, I do. I gotta go." Jess ran to the driver's side door, got in and drove as fast as she could out of the parking lot. Tears streamed down her cheeks as she tried to keep her blurry eyes on the road.

_This is just great, Jess. How could you have let this happen? He doesn't want you. He just feels sorry for you. This is never going to be what you want it to be._

Nick paced in front of his car, clenching his fists. _What just happened here? _

One minute they were calmly sitting together as friends. The next they were all over each other. And then Jess was fleeing the scene.

And now he was alone.

But something was different. Something in his heart had changed at the touch of her lips, the feel of her body, trembling and close and _ready_ for him.

And he knew.

Nick got in his car and moved it as fast as he could in her direction.

He was ready for her now. He wanted her. Needed her. Nothing was going to get in the way.

Before he knew what was happening, bright lights assaulted his vision and the car was being violently jolted from the side_. _

_Jess_ was his last thought as he slowly lost consciousness.


	9. Chapter 9

Nick slowly opened his eyes. Everything around him was hazy, but his senses were aware of a flurry of activity around him.

"Nick? Can you hear me, Nick? You were in a car accident. We're taking you to the hospital now. Can you speak? Do you have any allergies?"

He couldn't feel anything. A man's face came more and more into focus. He registered that he was being asked questions, but he couldn't answer. He felt paralyzed. His head seemed to be clamped down to whatever he was laying on. His arms and legs felt like they weighed a thousand pounds. The man waited a couple more minutes, realizing then that he wasn't going to get any information out of him right now.

"It's okay, Nick. We're going to take good care of you. We found the cell number of someone named Schmidt in your car. He's going to meet us at the ER. Just try and relax. I'm starting an IV and giving you some pain medication to make you comfortable. Once we get to the hospital, they're gonna be poking and proding, so we'll get you as pain free as we can for that."

Nick felt the effects of the pain killers begin to warm him from the inside out. He needed to tell them. They needed to understand.

"Blue," he moaned softly.

"What was that Nick?" The paramedic turned to his co-worker and spoke in a whisper, "What did he say? Blue?"

Nick was slipping away, the medication taking over. He had to tell them. Nothing was making any sense. He couldn't think straight. He couldn't think at all. All he could do was mumble and slur words to describe the intensely vivid image in his mind.

"Blue eyes..."

~N/J~

Nick woke again, but more suddenly this time. And this time, there was the pain. A ridiculous amount of pain. He couldn't identify one source, it was just everywhere.

As if reading his mind, the doctor stood over him and loudly asked him question after question. "Can you feel anything Nick? Can you talk? Do you have any medication allergies? Where does it hurt the most?"

He was surrounded by strangers who were rapidly cutting all the clothes off his body. Nick lay helpless under bright lights, stark naked, while a doctor firmly pressed into different areas of his abdomen.

The pain of the harsh examination seemed to bring him around, and he hoarsely moaned the one word circling his brain, "Jess..."

"Nick? Nick, we need to know where you're in the worst shape. Your friends are in the waiting area. You need to focus now. Where does it hurt?"

The doctor reached his upper left side, pushing down, and the pain intensified drastically. Nick moaned loudly.

"Okay, left upper quadrant, let's get a stat CT. Looks like we'll need to xray the ankle also. Probable concussion. CT of the head. Okay, people, let's move!"

A blonde nurse who looked like she was fresh out of high school leaned close to him and smiled. "We're giving you something to relax you and some more pain meds. You'll probably sleep for a while. Just rest now, okay honey?"

"Tell Jess..." His voice was so scratchy and strained, he could barely breathe let alone speak. But the nurse heard him and ran her hand through his hair. "It's okay, sugar. You said Jess, right? What should I tell her?" She moved closer, but he was nearly unconscious again. The medications they gave him were having the dual effect of numbing his pain, but also blurring his mind again.

"Just...blue...tell her." And then there was darkness again.

~N/J~

The doctor entered the waiting area in the ER, and a dark haired woman practically attacked him. "Where's Nick? Nick Miller! Do you know anything? You have to tell me how he is RIGHT NOW!"

She was quickly backing him into the edge of the nurse's station, clawing at his lab coat. He grasped her upper arms loosely. "Miss! You need to calm down. That's why I'm here. Please! Sit down, okay? Just sit here in this chair, and I'll tell you."

Jess let go of his coat and moved into the nearest chair. "Okay, I'm sitting, now WHERE is he?"

He blew out a long breath, then looked Jess in the eye. His years of training kicked in and he spoke to her calmly. "As you know, Nick was in a car accident. He was hit from the side by a woman who ran a red light. He has a ruptured spleen, and is in surgery right now. He also has a broken ankle that will probably also require surgery, but the spleen is our main concern at this point. He has some broken ribs and a concussion. He'll probably be in surgery for a few hours, then you can see him when he's in recovery."

Schmidt jumped up and approached him, and the doctor flinched. Winston was right behind him, wide eyed and frantic looking. The doc was genuinely worried he might actually get punched tonight.

Schmidt wanted answers. "So, how serious, doc? Is he going to be okay?"

"Well, his labs showed a low blood count, probably from from his internal injury, but we're working to get the spleen where it needs to be. He's young and all his other labs were stable, so I think he's got a good chance at a full recovery. We'll let you know when he's out of surgery."

He started to walk away, eager to remove himself from the crazy. Suddenly he stopped, remembering what the nurse told him. "Oh, right. Are you Jess?"

She looked at him, nodding, her eyes large with fear. "Yes."

He caught a glimpse of blue and laughed softly. "Shoulda known. The eyes. Before he went into surgery, he said your name. And he said _blue eyes_. Obviously he was referring to you. He must care about you a lot. The paramedic said he was saying it on the way in here too. He was very insistent that we make contact with you."

The doc moved toward the door, tipping his head at Schmidt and Winston. "We'll keep you posted."

~N/J~

The third time Nick woke up that night, everything was quiet. Calmer. His mind was clearer. Before he opened his eyes, he felt a gentle stroking across his hand. Then a warm, moist sensation that repeated itself again and again.

Jess kissed his hand over and over, tears covering his hand as she pressed her cheek against it. "I'm so sorry Nick. This was all my fault."

She felt his fingers flutter under her, and she rose up quickly, eyes wildly searching his face. He lifted his heavy lids and looked at her. _Damn, she's beautiful_.

"Jess." Nick groaned when he tried to sit up, the familiar pain taking hold of him again.

"Nick, don't move. You've only been out of surgery a few hours. You need to let yourself rest." Nick ignored her, and the pain, and moved his hand up to cup her cheek, his fingers stroking the soft skin.

Jess closed her eyes for just a moment, then rested her gaze back on his battered face. "Why are you always arguing with me, Nick? I'm starting to think you like it."

Nick breathed out a long, slow breath. "That's probably because I do." He gave her a weak grin, and she couldn't help releasing a relieved giggle.

"You scared the shit out of me, Miller." Jess sobered and let her eyes tell him how serious she was.

"I know Jess. I heard you talking before. This was all my fault, not yours. I upset _you _and sent you running. So of course I had to come after you. Did you think for one minute that I could ever do anything but _follow you_?"

Jess stayed silent, her eyes filled with both longing and uncertainty. He craved one. He hated the other.

"Come here, Jess." He layed back against the pillows, waiting.

"What?" Jess knew what he wanted, but played dumb. She needed him to be clear with her.

"Come over here, and lean your sweet face down to my lips so I can kiss you."

Nick looked pitiful. Cuts and bruises dotted his face. Jess locked eyes with him as she moved closer to him, her hand moving up to smooth away a stray lock of hair from his forehead. Slowly, she moved her face so that it was barely an inch from his. She held her breath and waited.

She didn't have to wait long.

A second later Nick's full lips were brushing against hers. He breathed in her scent, a combination of honeysuckle and fresh laundry.

He pulled away a few seconds later and met her eyes again. "I want you, Jess. I need you. I tried to tell you before. I don't care about anything else. I just want to be with you."

Jess didn't need to hear any more. She swiftly brought her mouth down onto his again. Then she began covering his face with slow kisses, showing extra care around his injuries.

"I want you too, Nick." Jess laid her head down on his arm. "You should rest now, okay?"

"Okay." Nick felt the drowsiness pulling his eyelids closed. "See you later, blue eyes."


	10. Chapter 10

Mark sat on the large leather couch, waiting. Several people moved around the set, adjusting lights and camera angles. He was used to this part of filming. He already had several commercials and a couple of movies under his belt, so he knew that set-up was a long and sometimes tedious process.

He didn't mind. He was just happy to be working. And with this particular project, you could upgrade that emotion to overjoyed. That might have something to do with that fact that this was his first ever television pilot. Or it could be that Chloe Chanel currently sat mere inches away from him.

It was near the end of the week, and every time he looked into those electric blue eyes, he still couldn't believe his luck. He was normally pretty relaxed around his co-stars, mostly due to the fact that the people he worked with up until now were not always very well known. Mark was an easy going sort of guy, and didn't get rattled too easily. But this time, in the beginning at least, he couldn't help feeling a little starstruck.

Chloe Chanel was basically a household name. She had appeared in countless movies in the last ten years, working with some weighty names in Hollywood. He had seen several of her movies, and had always admired her work. She was a very talented and sought after actress. And she was insanely beautiful. That fact had also not escaped his notice.

He had googled her recently, telling himself it was to familiarize himself with her background as an actress. But he found what he wouldn't admit to himself that he was really looking for in her IDMB bio. _Relationship Status: Single_.

He really didn't know what to expect when he signed on to her new comedy pilot, tentatively titled _Three Guys and a Quirky Girl_. There was no doubt that she was what Schmidt would call an "A-lister." Some actresses on that level kept to themselves and conveyed the sense that they were above everybody else. But he was happy to be correct in his assumption that she was a down to earth lady, super fun to work with and extremely cool. They had clicked right away. She constantly made him laugh. And she seemed to be just as taken with his charm, cracking up at his stories and crazy observations about life.

What he admired most about her was that she was virtually fearless, throwing herself into embarrassing scenes with abandon. He hoped the pilot got picked up, so he could continue learning from her. And hanging out with her every day wasn't such a bad deal, either. There was already buzz around Hollywood that she was making the move to tv. He was pretty much counting on this becoming a regular gig, thanks to her. The idea of working with her week after week both intrigued and excited him.

"So, you think you got your lines down this time?" Chloe quirked her mouth up into a half grin._ Damn, she was adorable_.

Mark laughed and held up his script. "Working on it. I know, I messed up the kitchen scene this morning. Matt kept making me laugh. He seems to get endless enjoyment out of getting me to break character. I'm getting better, I think. Though I doubt I will ever be quite as prepared as you."

Matt and Darren ran around behind them, tossing a basketball back and forth and attempting three-point shots into the nearby hoop. They had been playing in between shooting all week, betting each other five bucks a shot, just to keep it interesting. Mark had give up two days ago, running out of cash at the end of the first day.

Darren made his next shot and threw his hands up, yelling in victory, "Ohhh! Yes! You are gonna be so broke by the time this pilot's in the can!"

Chloe pretended to cover her ears at the hoots and hollers from the guys, laughing at their antics. Mark rolled his eyes and laughed along with her. "You know, you absolutely crushed that last scene, by the way."

She reached over and swatted lazily at his arm. "Hey, thanks. I've alway been a good crier. I've have some experience with break ups too, so it wasn't too hard to get there emotionally." Chole caught his gaze, "And your drunk phone call scene was hilarious too."

Mark looked down and smiled, "Well, I've taken several trips down drunk alley, so it's not too much of a stretch playing drunk Rick Hiller. The character and me are actually very similar." He picked up the edge of his flannel shirt. "These are the clothes I wore here today. Wardrobe took one look at me and said 'Yeah, you're good.'"

Chloe gave him a wry smile. "Well, I gotta say, most of the clothes Tess wears, you could've probably found in my own closet."

Mark looked her up and down, then met her eyes. _Damn, she has beautiful eyes_. Reminded him of a certain someone back in L.A...

His mind was quicky brought back to the present when Chloe scooted closer, her right arm pressing up against his. "Hey, you gotta see this tweet a fan sent me yesterday. Kind of made me laugh." She slid her fingers over the screen of her iPhone and held it up between them. They both leaned their heads down and close together, peering at the screen. Mark drew in a breath, a little intoxicated by the fresh, floral scent surrounding her.

The tweet read: "Chloe Chanel is nice to look at, but kind of overrated."

Chloe laughed. "An accurate representation of the feedback I get. The positive and the negative are about even. I like it. Keeps me pumped, but humble."

Mark laughed softly and repeated the message. "'Nice to look at, but underrated'. Well, they got it half right."

Chloe leaned back and little and met his eyes, smiling shyly. "Thanks, Mark. You're not so bad on the eyes yourself, you know."

Mark chuckled, feeling actual goosebumps rising up on his skin. "Aw, thank you. I gotta admit though, I don't get a lot of comments on my appearance. Except when my agent suggested it would be a good idea to lose ten pounds before we started shooting. Working out every day is a bitch. I don't think I'll ever get used to that. I appreciate it, though. You obviously noticed my slightly larger biceps, huh?"

Mark flexed his arm between them, grunting loudly. "Yeah! Check out this insanity."

Chloe reached over and squeezed his upper arm, pursing her lips, "Ooh, yeah. Very buff!"

They looked at each other and paused before breaking into more laughter. After a moment, they got quiet, but held each other's gaze, neither of them ready to look away yet.

Mark felt a warmth spread through his body. Chloe kept her eyes on him. _Those amazing blue eyes_. Then he dropped his eyes down to her mouth. He wanted to run his thumb over her bottom lip.

_This is crazy! This is Chloe Chanel. She was born into the world of Hollywood, living a life privilege, going to high school with kids of the rich and famous. She would never want to waste her time with a Chicago-bred bartender who lives in a run-down L.A. loft._

But now, sitting next to her on a crowded television set, none of that seemed to matter. They were just Mark and Chloe. Hanging out, laughing and having a good time. And quite obviously attracted to each other.

Mark briefly thought back to the day they met. How he was immediately drawn to her. He had auditioned for the casting director and got a callback to audition for Chloe and Lisa Meridith, the show's creator. He had worked with Lisa on a movie before, and she had put in a good word for him. But once he and Chloe were put in a room together, it became clear that he was her first choice as well. No one could deny their instant chemistry, and when she had come up to him afterward and whispered, "You're in, dude," he knew it was a done deal.

Someone cleared their throat loudly. Lisa stood in front of them, her arms crossed, a grin the size of California on her face. "So, guys. Not to interrupt or anything, but you think we could shoot some television now?"

Mark and Chloe slowly turned away from each other and looked around at the thirty plus men and women who were silently watching them, finally ready to start shooting. Mark looked down and coughed, sliding a respectable distance away from her.

Chloe sat folding and unfolding her arms. "Uh, sure Lisa. We're ready to go." Her voice was slightly shaky, but she quickly regained her composure, jumped up and moved behind the couch, finding her mark. She looked back up at Lisa and smiled brightly. "I'm all set!"

Matt and Darren plopped down on either side of Mark, getting ready to roll. Matt leaned over and whispered to Mark, "Woooow. You're a goner already, aren't you man?"

Just before they called action, Mark smiled to himself. _Yep, dead gone_.


	11. Chapter 11

Mark opened his front door just as Jess opened hers.

"Mark! How are you? I haven't seen you in a few weeks."

"Jess, hey. I was just on my way over to see you. Can we talk?"

"Sure, come on in."

Jess got Mark a beer from the fridge, then sat down at the kitchen island across from him.

"So, you really like her, huh?"

Mark looked down and laughed, his finger drawing lines inside the condensation on the side of the bottle. "Yeah. She's amazing, Jess. I've never met anyone like her. We spent a lot of time together on set."

"So, have you been seeing her?" Jess sipped her pink wine.

"Well, we've both been out of town filming movies. I've been in Seattle for the last couple weeks, but we've been talking and texting almost every day. We just hit it off as soon as we met...and I can't stop thinking about her."

"Doesn't sound like a problem, Mark." Jess raised her eyebrows at him.

He grinned widely and Jess giggled. "Not a problem. Just a...well, let's just start with this. My agent told me last week that the show got picked up for the Fall season."

"What?!" Jess jumped up and threw her arms around him, squeeling. "Mark! That's so amazing! You're gonna be on tv! You're gonna get to work with Chloe now."

"Yes! And I am beyond excited. This is the opportunity I've been waiting for. I just...I wonder if starting something with someone you work with is a good idea. Especially in this business. You may be working with that person for a few years, you know? Plus the fact that this is Chloe we're talking about. She is way out of my league. How can a guy like me measure up the the musicians and movie stars she's used to being with?"

"Hmm, good point about the working situation. As for you, however, you're way off on that one. You are a handsome, charming, smart guy. It seems like Chloe has already seen that. I wouldn't keep talking and texting with someone every day if I didn't see a future."

"You think?" Mark smiled when she gave him an incredulous look, punching him lightly on the shoulder. "Yes, I do. And you want to known what else I think?"

Mark's eyes grew wide and he smiled at her enthusiasm. "Uh, yes! That's why I asked."

Jess placed her hand on his. "I think that you are someone who goes after what he wants. You moved out here, put yourself out there in the acting world. You never gave up. And look at you now, about to get famous, starring in a television show!" Jess smiled at his calm exterior.

"You've never been afraid to chase after your dreams. Why start now?" Jess linked her hands together, widened her eyes at him, and rested her chin on her hands.

Mark chuckled, taking a sip of his beer, then setting it down soundly on the counter. "You're right! I'm going to go for it. When she gets back to L.A. I'm gonna ask her out. Thanks, Jess. You're the best."

Mark moved around the island and gave her a quick peck on the cheek, then headed for the door. "I really gotta run, I'm late for work. Not famous yet, you know. Gotta go earn some _baller dough_." He winked at her and pointed a finger gun at her, clicking his tongue at her.

Jess laughed out loud as his Schmidt-ism. "Okay then!"

Mark stopped and focused on her another moment. "Man, you..you really look at lot like her. I never noticed it before."

Jess blushed a little, and held his eyes for a moment. Then Mark blinked a few times and shook his head, as if to break some sudden spell. He looked back up at her and waved, running out the door.

Nick hobbled out of his room on a crutch. Making it to the couch, he plopped down and grunted. "Who was that?"

Jess brought two beers over to him, setting them down on the coffee table. "Hey, thanks Jess. So, who was just here?" He grabbed a bottle and took a long swig, eyeing her as he drank.

"That was Mark." She cocked her head to the side at him as he frowned deeply. "What? I already told you we are just friends, Nick. Why are you turtle-facing me right now?"

Nick's face returned to normal. "Oh, yeah, right. I forgot. Habit, I guess." He looked her up and down and smiled. "So are you gonna come keep me company, darlin?"

Jess giggled and skipped over to the couch, bounced down next to him and leaned up against his shoulder. "I love it when you call me cute names. You don't do it very often."

He put his arm around her shoulder and pulled her closer. "Yeah, well, that's because it usually sounds too mushy and weird coming from me."

"I think I should be the judge of that, _honey_," Jess added, "and I happen to love it."

Jess sobered a little and bit her lip. Ever since Nick got out of the hospital, he had been in recovery mode. They spent a lot of time hanging out in each other's rooms, snuggling on the couch watching tv and falling asleep in each other's beds. But there was one thing they hadn't quite got around to yet.

"Heeeeey, uh, Nick?"

"Yep?"

"I think we should talk about something."

Nick stiffened a little. They hadn't done a lot of talking about feelings since the night of his surgery. They had just fallen automatically into boyfriend/girlfriend mode. But he could smell a relationship discussion a mile away. "Okay, Jess."

"Well, we're together, right?"

"Mmhmm."

"And you've been healing fast since you've been home, right?"

"Right. Feeling a lot better this week."

"Right. So...every time we're alone, especially at night when we're in bed together, there's a, hmmm, _tension_ between us. You know what I mean?"

Nick smiled, relieved. "You're talking about sex?" Jess nodded. Nick grinned widely. "Jess, are you trying to tell me that you wanna have sex?"

Jess scooted away from him a few inches and met his eyes. "Yes. I am saying...maybe it's time we at least start talking about it? It seems like you've been avoiding the subject. I know you were told to hold off on that for a few weeks, til you were stronger. But at night...when we're alone, I just...I can feel that you want me, Nick."

Nick pressed his lips together, his eyes telling her she was one hundred percent correct.

"Jess...I've been doing my damnedest not to let myself get _out of control_. It's not that I don't want to, believe me. Keeping my hands off you all this time has been torture. When it's you and me...and it's dark outside and we're alone in the loft." Nick's voice was getting low and husky the longer he talked.

Jess moved closer and stradled him, her hands sliding up his chest and resting there. "So, let me put you out of your misery." She leaned in and barely touched his lips with hers, gently pulling back. "I think enough time has passed, don't you?"

Nick nodded slowly, hypnotized by the way her blue eyes were drawing him in, telling him what to do. "Uh, huh."

Jess started unbuttoning her shirt, "And we're alone in the loft now..."

Nick swallowed, watching her unleash button after button, until she let the blouse slide down onto the floor. She took his hands and placed them on her breasts, pressing firmly. He gently squeezed her there, once, then twice.

She tilted her head back and whispered. "I used to dream about this."

Nick groaned softly. "You did?"

"Yeah. We would make out on the couch and then you'd carry me to your room and have your wicked way with me."

Nick sighed and looked to the side. "Can't carry you, Jess."

She moved in closer and whispered against his mouth. "Well, then I guess you'll have to let me take care of you."

She kissed him forcefully, sucking hard on his tongue before pushing him on his back on the couch. She laid her body on top of his, feeling his arousal straining against the fabric of his sweat pants. She moved down and bit his neck, running her tongue up and down the column of his throat.

"Jess, this is not what you want." He could barely get the words out. He wanted her so badly. But not like this. "I want you...so much. But we have to stop."

Nick pushed her up away from him, sat up and ran his hands through his hair, taking several deep breaths. Jess sat next to him, her heart beating so fast and so loud she was sure he could hear it.

Nick looked at her, at the rejection on her face, and he let out a loud groan. "Jess. Damn it! I'm such a girl! Aghh!" He yelled out his frustration.

He reached over and touched her cheek, "Jess, look at me."

She slowly brought her eyes to meet his. "I have never wanted anyone as badly as I want you right now. But I want this to be right. I want to be able to pick you up and carry you to bed. Or pick you up and take you against the wall in the hallway. You see a pattern, here? I want to be...capable...of giving you everything you want. Do you understand?"

Jess let him caress her cheek. She knew how much he cared about her. He wanted to make things perfect for her. He was making this all about her. What she needed. And that's when she knew, she wanted to give him everything too.

"Alright, Nick. We'll wait."

He breathed out a pent up laugh, wanting so badly to tell her he changed his mind. To pull her close and touch her, and hold her, and show her what she meant to him.

Jess read his mind, squeezing her eyes shut and groaning. "So, when's your next doctor's appointment? Tomorrow's good for me."

Nick laughed loudly. "Next week."

"So...soon then?" Jess looked at him and bit her lip.

He almost caved again. Almost. "Soon."


	12. Chapter 12

Mark sat in the makeshift photo booth, Chloe practically in his lap, waiting for the director to call action. She was slightly above him, and he looked up at her and smiled. She grinned down at him. She wore a strapless burgundy dress. The skirt barely covered her bare legs, and Mark's left hand rested lightly against her thigh. Her hair was soft and wavy and fell in cascades down her shoulders. Her brilliant blue eyes were heavily lined and curtained by thick, dark lashes.

It had been three weeks since _Three Guys and a Quirky Girl _had officially started filming again. And Mark had long since admitted to himself that he was falling hard and fast for Chloe Chanel.

They had been on several dates. Trips to the movies, the art museum. Dinner at some nice and some not so nice restaurants. He had picked a couple of unknown establishments that turned out to be dumps. By the second miss, he felt incredibly embarrassed to have chosen such crappy places to eat. Chloe just laughed and suggested they head to McDonald's again instead.

He was ridiculously turned on when she practically inhaled a Big Mac and Fries in his beat up car. Watching a beautiful woman enjoy eating was just one step away from heaven for him. She didn't seem to care what he wore or what kind of car he drove or even where they went. She was just happy to spend time with him. He had never met anyone like her. They had a connection that they both felt instantly, but neither felt the need to try to explain.

Mark remembed the end of their first date. They had tried a restaurant called _The Bone House_. _Yeah, should've known that was gonna be a loser_. He walked her to her door that night, both of them laughing uncontrollably at a scene that week in which Matt had to do thirty-two takes. The more frustrated he got, the harder they all laughed.

Mark bent over, gasping in front of her doorway. "When he did that final take and just passed out on the floor, that's the best thing I've seen all year."

Chloe wiped her streaming eyes, trying to catch her breath. "We gotta get that on the gag reel, for sure."

They both stopped laughing and Mark brough his hands up to rest on her shoulders. Chloe slid her arms around his waist, looking up into his dark brown eyes.

"Thanks for being so cool about tonight. Not many women would be happy with a trip through a drive thru as a first date."

Chloe laughed softly. "I will never, ever turn down a Mc-anything, Mark."

He chucked, then sobered as she tightened her arms around him. Her lips parted and her large eyes darted back in forth between his, sending him a clear message.

_I want to be kissed, now._

Mark read her loud and clear and swiftly brought his lips down to close over hers. The feelings that passed between them each day on set were instantly magnified as they stood here alone together and explored each other's mouths with abandon.

Their next few dates ended the same, passionate embraces and long, hot kisses at her doorway. He didn't want to make any assumptions about her, just because she was famous. He made up his mind to move slow with her. She seemed to agree with this. Until they ended up at her door at the end of each night.

The intensity of their emotions were growing stronger every day they spent sharing the same space. Their eleven/twelve o'clock make-outs were causing them both increasing amounts of frustration. They would spend several minutes devouring each other's mouths, then would pull apart and go their separate ways. Like they were fifteen year olds with their parents watching them from a nearby window.

At the end of their last date, Chloe sat next to Mark in his car, letting him take her hand in his. He kissed her hand gently, raising his eyes to meet hers as his lips made contact with each finger. She let out a barely audible moan and closed her eyes. "Mark..."

He kissed the inside of her palm. "Hmm?"

She spoke quickly, breathless. "How long can this go on?"

He stopped and watched her, his breath picking up rapidly. "What do you mean?"

"I mean _this_. Us. We obviously want each other. Why haven't we done anything about it?"

Mark's mouth fell open. He didn't know what to say. "Uh...I don't know. I didn't realize you were, um,_ ready _for that."

Chloe laughed softly and raised an eyebrow at him. "Well, the fact that I practically attack you on my doorstep every night we're together should have been your first clue."

Mark smiled weakly. "I don't know. I guess I was just trying to be respectful. Take things slow. I thought that's what you wanted."

"It was. At first. I didn't want to give you the wrong impression that I was, you know, _slutty_."

Mark laughed out loud. "I would never think that. You are the classiest lady I know, Miss Chanel."

She beamed at him, soaking in his compliment. "Well, the more time we spend together, the harder it's getting to..._stay classy_."

Mark laughed again, linking his fingers between hers. "I want to get _un-classy _just as much as you do. I just figured, when the time was right, it would happen."

Chloe rested her eyes on their joined hands, smiling at this funny, crazy man who obviously cared a lot about her. "You're right. Let's just let it happen naturally. Good plan, Mr Jensen! Just...soon okay?"

He chuckled and leaned over, giving her a chaste kiss on the cheek. "You don't have to convince me, honey."

That was the last time they were alone together. Now, sitting close, pressed tightly against each other in the half-cut booth, they both knew their classy days were about to end. Mark felt her leg tremble as his hand grazed it accidentally. She heard his sharp intake of breath, and pushed her body ever so slightly closer to him. She didn't mean to rev him up, but suddenly she felt the firm evidence of his arousal against the back of her hand. She held her breath, panicking, not sure how they were going to deal with this in front of a director and a camera crew. She kept her hand where it was, partially concealing his problem, hoping that was enough to hide what was going on.

"Action," the director hollered.

Mark paused for a moment, trying to get his bearings. He quickly morphed into drunk Rick Hiller, singing the praises of his new photo-booth home. Chloe became Tess, telling him that he shouldn't let Karla use him as her back-up plan boyfriend. He moved his hazy eyes to her innocent face, and immediately caught his breath, attempting to school his features into those of a lazy, drunken man instead of a sex-crazed idiot who can't control himself in public.

_She is so incredibly beautiful. And I am a horny mess right now. How am I going to get through this scene?_

Mark didn't have any lines just yet, which was a good thing, since he was struck mute at the intense empathy that poured out of Tess' eyes. He stayed quiet and let his eyes fall down to her lap, trying not to notice how high her dress had rode up her legs.

"So now, you have to make a decision. Are you gonna stay in this photo booth all night, or dance your face off with me on the dance floor?" He bravely met her eyes again, and she let out a genuine laugh at the half-drunk look her was giving her. She knew it was partially great acting, but also recognized it as the look he gave her every night when she knew he wanted to rip her clothes off and take her against her dooway. She was quickly spiraling down with him, his desire awakening hers.

She took a deep breath and spit out her final line, "It's up to you." Then she hastily moved out of the shot, breathing heavily. _Please say we got it, please say we got it. I cannot do that again._

"Okay, we got it. That's a wrap for tonight. Outstanding work today, guys. Phenomenal." The director clapped his hands together a few times, and the crew started the long process of closing down the set for the night.

Chloe stood against a nearby wall, her hand over her mouth, watching Mark move out of the booth and make his way over to her.

"Hey." He licked his lips and then looked down at hers, standing close to her but not making contact.

"Hey. So, you wanna go to my place? We can have dinner and...talk." She moved even closer to him but they still did not touch. The effect that the non-contact was having on them was bringing their longing to a boiling point that neither one of them could control any longer. He did seem to have briefly gained control over his lower half, but he knew it wouldn't last.

"I drove. You drove too. How about I follow you there?" Mark locked eyes with her, waiting.

"Yes. Yep. Follow me. Let's go." Mark walked her to her trailer where she retrieved her purse and keys and then walked quickly to his car, following her BMW out of the studio backlot and into traffic.


	13. Chapter 13

**This chapter is M rated. Innocent eyes, skip ahead a couple chapters. Otherwise, enjoy!**

Chloe pulled into the parking space next to her house and ran inside. She flew into the bathroom and shoved a toothbruth into her mouth. She grabbed a brush and ripped it through her hair. She quickly swished with mouthwash and spit in the sink, running to her bedroom. In her haste to leave set, she had forgotten to change and return her dress to wardrobe. Reaching around back she unzipped the dress and stepped out of it, throwing it across the room into a pile of dirty clothes. She quickly changed out of her plain white strapless bra and cotton panties into a black silk bra and lace panty set. Then she slid into her pink robe and ran to the front door, throwing it open to a startled Mark.

He stood there panting heavily. "I had to park down the street, I ran a block and a half." He laughed in between gasps, suddenly noticing her short, pink robe.

They just stood there looking at each other, breathing heavily, desire reaching it's final breaking point. Mark lunged forward and grabbed her, pulling her up against his body. His mouth crashed onto hers, the passion they felt earlier unleashing.

She threw her arms around his neck and he picked her up, her legs wrapping tightly around him. She moaned loudly as he sucked on her neck, his tongue gliding up and down her throat. "Uhh, Mark. Bed...take me to bed."

He identified her bedroom at the back of the house and drug her trembling body through the doorway, throwing her down roughly onto the bed. She grinned knowingly at him, untying her robe and shrugging it off her shoulders. He swallowed hard at her nearly naked body, quickly pulled off his pants, boxers and shirt and crawled into her bed and up her body. His mouth found hers again, his lips tasting her lips, her tongue. He wanted to taste other parts of her. Soft parts. He sucked gently on her bottom lip, then her chin, trying to maintain some semblance of control but failing miserably._ Slow down, dude. You're not gonna last long if you keep this up._

Mark drew back and looked into her eyes, then down at her body. She looked small, delicate. He wanted to make this last. He had to hold back a little, make it about her. He slid his hands up into her hair, running the pads of his fingers across her scalp. She let out a long, slow breath, moaning with pleasure at his careful ministrations.

"Ever since I first saw you, I've wanted you," he breathed into her ear, kissing her earlobe before nibbling on it.

"I wanted you too. So much." She moaned outloud, suddenly aware that they were free. They could say anything they wanted. Do anything they wanted. As much and as loudly as they wanted.

"Tell me what you want, Mark," she whispered into his neck, "Tell me what you're gonna do." She wanted him hear him talk. Wanted to hear him say things. Dirty things.

His lips roamed her face, kissing every square inch of it, just because he could. Then he stopped and pressed his forehead against hers, their breathing heavy, mingling together, both of them growin more and more wild with anticipation. "Tell me, Mark."

"I'm gonna slide the straps of your bra down, and kiss your shoulders." he whispered hotly.

"What else?" Chloe layed back on the bed and closed her eyes, listening to his husky voice say things she had been aching to hear from him.

"Then I'm gonna unhook your bra and massage your naked breasts. I'm gonna rub your nipples til you moan. Is that what you want?" He spoke hoarsely, barely able to get the words out. His arousal was back with a vengeance, and she felt it pressing against her belly as he pushed her body down into the mattress with his.

"Yes, that's what I want...I want your hands on me."

Mark slipped his fingers under her bra straps and let his mouth follow his rapidly descending fingers, greedily sucking her soft skin all the way down. His threw her unclasped bra across the room, his hands returning to caress her bare breasts, his index fingers stroking her nipples. She thew her head back and whimpered.

"Do you like that?"

"Yesssss."

"Do you want me to stop?"

"Don't stop. Uhhhhhh...don't stop, Mark."

He laughed at her urgent pleas. Silly woman. He couldn't stop if he wanted to.

"Look at me, Chloe. I want you to watch me."

She opened her eyes and looked down. He gave her an evil grin before he lowered his head between her breasts, took and deep breath, then blew it out harshly, motoring his head back and forth as fast as he could. She giggled loudly, surprised and delighted at his change in tactics. She laughed and laughed as he blew raspberries all across her breasts. He paused every few seconds to lean his head against her chest and laugh at the craziness they were enjoying.

"Did you want to do this to me before?" She gasped, unable to stop her squeals at the way he was playing with her. It was hot and hilarious and just plain fun, just like he was.

He stopped suddenly and looked up at her, "Uh huh." Then he moved his head back down and gently sucked her nipples. Her laughs died quickly and turned to moans again as he moved his mouth down to her belly. He slid his hand from her hip across her thigh and buried it in her wet folds, running his finger up and down with feather-light strokes. "Is that good? Do you like that, baby?"

"Uhhhhhh. Yeeeeees. So gooood." She was lost. Drowning in a sea of desire turned manic obsession.

"Do you like my finger touching you like that?"

"Yesssss...Mark...like that...uhhh, just like that..."

His words were driving her crazy. She needed him. Soon. She pulled him back up and onto her body, moving her hand down back down and closed her fingers around his erection, sliding up and down with a firm grasp, occasionally letting her finger slide over the tip, drawing slow circles there.

He groaned loudly, "Chloe...Just...Uhhnnnngggg." She smiled and moved closer, leading him to her wetness and rubbing the tip of him up and down her entrance. She guided him inside and he immediately lost control, thrusting upward rapidly. Suddenly his eyes snapped open and he looked at her in terror. "Condom! We forgot the condom!"

She grabbed his head and locked eyes with him. "Shhh, it's okay. I'm on the pill. We'll take extra precautions next time."

He looked relieved, and seeing the raw want in her eyes, lowered his lips to hers, kissing her slowly, sucking on her bottom lip again. He couldn't get enough of her mouth. His hand returned to her wetness, stroking her clit, restoking her desire. His lips pulled away and she whimpered. He quickly thrust into her again, and she sucked in a sharp breath as he continued to push in and out of her roughly.

She reached around and grabbed his ass cheeks, squeezing and pulling him into her.

"Deeper," she moaned. "Uhh, Mark, yes. Deeper..."

He moved his hands up her thighs and brough her legs higher around his waist. He thrust into her as deeply as he could and she screamed his name, finally finding release, her muscles clenching tightly around him while she continued to moan over and over and over.

He had held himself back all this time, with near Herculean strength, wanting her to go first. As soon as he pulled out of her, Chloe rolled over on top of him and lowered herself onto him again, riding him hard and fast. "You need to come now, Mark." She bounced up and down on him mercilessly, moaning his name. "Mark...I'm gonna come again. You first. Come on, baby, come for me."

Finally he went over the edge, hollering loudly as the most intense pleasure he had ever felt racked his entire body. She greedily kept moving up and down, chasing her second release. Mark reached up and tweaked her nipples, and she came hard one more time, then collapsed on to his chest, barely able to catch her breath.

She looked up at his satisified but thoroughly disoriented face and leaned her head down onto him again. She pressed her lips to his chest and burst out laughing.

"Now that was classy."


	14. Chapter 14

Jess pushed open the door to Clyde's, and immediately tripped over the three inch stilettos she let CeCe talk her into. She lunged forward and grabbed onto the nearest thing , which just happened to be Schmidt. Jess gripped his arm tightly, steadying herself.

"Whoooa! I haven't had a thing to drink yet, I swear." Jess wobbled and stepped back, pulling up the bodice of her low cut dress, and withering slightly under Schmidt's angry glare.

"What the...do you have any idea what kind of material you are currently mangling with your clumsy hands, Jessica Day? That would be a custom, made-to-measure, digitally tailored Brooks Brothers Black Fleece." Schmidt glanced at her dress, softening. "Also, may I say, _whoa_. That is the wonder bra of dresses you are rockin right now. Do I have to ask why you are dressed to kill this evening?"

"What? No reason. It's Friday night. Just felt like dressing up a little, that's all." Jess smoothed her skirt, leaning against the wall as she scanned the bar. Her one-track mind located the reason for tonight's sexy attire. Nick was leaning over the bar, pouring whiskey shots for three middle-aged men.

Jess' breath caught, and she swallowed a sudden swell of saliva that pooled in her mouth. She had been watching Nick at work for the last two years. But she had never noticed the way his arm flexed as he tipped the bottle upside down. The black henley he wore hugged his body, his barely noticeable cookie pouch outlined amidst the dark fabric. She watched his jaw tense as he finished pouring and his back muscles strain as he twisted around and placed the bottle back on the shelf behind him.

And speaking of behinds...hello! There_ his _was, rising about the level surface of the bar for a few seconds before Nick returned to the bar's edge. As if on cue, his eyes locked on hers across the busy room. Before she realized what she was doing, she let her tongue glide along her lower lip, and her teeth followed, biting down hard, trying not to let the sudden heat between her legs dissolve her into a heap on the floor.

Ever since Nick's last doctor's appointment, the tension between them had risen to insane heights. The surgeon had declared him to be fully recovered and had given him the go ahead to return to his regular activities. Jess remembered the sudden intensity in Nick's eyes as he he kept glancing her way on the way out of the office.

That was two days ago. Since then, both of them had felt paralyzed by the nervous energy surrounding them, neither one making any moves to connect_._ But they knew the time of restraint was coming to a close.

Jess had decided that enough was enough. CeCe had taken her shopping that afternoon, and that bring us up to now. Jess, trying to control herself under Nick's focused stare.

Somehow, she made her way to the bar and slid up onto a stool. Nick couldn't take his eyes off her. After a few tense minutes of silence, he choked out, "Jess. So, uh, pink wine?"

Jess smiled and Nick followed suit, smiling back, feeling a little more relaxed. He had felt tired and just plain exhausted by the hectic pace of the bar that week. But seeing Jess, having her near him now, he felt recharged. Desire swirled deep in his gut, waking him up.

"Or...how about something a little different tonight?"

Jess's smile widened at the underlying seductive tone of his voice. He was playing with her now. She decided to play back. "Uh, sure, what ya have in mind, sailor?"

Nick coughed and hid a smirk behind his hand, "How about a Manhattan? I know you're not so great with liquor, so we'll go...slow. Think you can handle one?" He quirked an eyebrow at her.

Jess rested her arms on the bar and leaned toward Nick, giving him a full view of upper boob. Nick glanced down at the ripe flesh, then looked her straight in the eye, waiting.

Jess wanted to say something sexy. Nine times out of ten this usually came out sounding like something an eight year old girl would make her barbies say. But this time, she let herself relax in the knowledge that this was Nick. Her Nick. He was her best friend. He wanted her. And she wanted him.

"I can handle anything you got, honey." Jess' let her eyes speak for her. Telling him she was with him. That she was on board. That this time, nothing was going to stop them from getting exactly what they wanted.

Jess watched as he mixed whiskey and vermouth with ice. With shaky hands, he added a cherry and set the drink in front of her. "See how you like that."

Jess picked up the glass by the stem and sipped the concoction, humming lowly. "Mmm. That's really good, Nick. I can't believe I've never had one before. I think we may have just found my new favorite drink."

She smiled up at him and her stomach jumped a little when he winked at her. "Well, let's put that on your list of favorites, then." Nick picked up his beer bottle and held it out on front of her, "Here's to trying new things."

Jess lightly clicked her glass against the bottle, watching him carefully, the lust in his gaze unmistakeable.

After Jess' second Manhattan, Nick had officially declared her "cut off." Jess pouted at his stern expression, but he wasn't giving in. "Jess, you're done. You haven't eaten anything since you got here, and I don't want you getting sick."

Jess smiled at his concern. "Alright, Miller. You win." She didn't want to ruin what she was hoping to be an unforgettable night. "I'm gonna head home now. What time you think you'll be done?"

Nick glanced around the bar. It was only twelve, but things already seemed to be dying down. "I think maybe about an hour or so." He tried to hide his disappointment that she was leaving without him.

"Okay, sounds good." She leaned over the bar and grabbed the collar of his shirt with both hands, pulling him in for a quick kiss. As she drew away from him, she moved back for a moment and whispered in his ear. "I'll be waiting for you."

Nick's disappointment evaporated as he felt her hot breath on his cheek. He moved back and looked into her eyes. "Like, uh, _waiting_-waiting?"

Jess moved her lips to his cheek and pressed a slow, lingering kiss there.

_Damn, her lips are soft_.

He resisted the urge to grab her and drag her over the bar into his arms.

"I'll be waiting," she repeated, before she turned and made it successfully across the room in a smooth exit.


	15. Chapter 15

**M rated. You've been warned :)**

It was after 3 am when Nick got home from his shift at the bar. He got in the elevator and pressed the button to his floor five times, then leaned his tired, anxious body against the wall as the lift took him upward.

Since seeing Jess at the bar, his body had been in a constant state of arousal. He couldn't stop thinking about her. Her body, her eyes, her mouth. Couldn't stop thinking about what would happen when he saw her again.

Finally he stood in front of her closed bedroom door, his senses newly awake and approaching overload. She told him she'd be waiting. She came into his bar in that dress, looking like that. Looking at him like that. Grabbing and kissing him like she was giving him fair warning. Staking her claim. But he was getting home later than he'd thought and the entire loft was dead quiet. He wondered if she had given up on him and fallen asleep. He briefly thought about just going to his room for the night.

_What are you crazy? Get in there, man. This is your chance._

The need to be close to Jess was overwhelming. If she was asleep, he would just get in bed with her and spend the rest of the night holding her while they slept. It's what they had been doing for weeks. He had no clue how he was able to control himself until now. But the thought of one more night unsatisifed was more than he could take. He turned the knob and pushed the door open.

Nick moved quietly into the room, which was lit only by a small bedside lamp. A flood of excitement took over when he saw Jess sitting up against the headboard, her body barely covered in a sheer white lace nightie. He swallowed hard, his body growing wild with a lust that begged for imminent release.

"Hey." Jess smiled coyly, enjoying the way his eyes were glued to her body. The sheer material left nothing to the imagination, which is exactly what she wanted. She was done thinking about him. Done with fantasizing what his hands would feel like on her body, how his lips would feel gliding all over her skin. This was happening now.

She felt a pulsing sensation below and began to let all the weeks and months worth of restraint crumble into dust. She released a long, slow breath and waited til he met her eyes, then slid her tongue slowly along her bottom lip. She wanted him to see it. She wanted him to know how much she wanted him. Wanted him to know the wait was over.

"So...you coming to bed, Miller?" Jess locked eyes with him and smiled wider. Nick let out a silent laugh and rapidly began to undress. Jess watched as he stripped down to his boxers and climbed up the bed towards her, the throbbing between her legs increasing the closer he came.

Nick leaned over her, his forearms resting on either side of her, his body hovering over hers, caging her in. He looked into her eyes. Damn, they were blue. Bright blue. As if they were backlit by some unknown source of light. He felt like a crazed man, staring into the sun, and he let his gaze drop, focusing his attention on new places. Places his dirty mind had wandered to on so many nights before. Too many nights. Like a man lost at sea, thirst took over, driving him on to drink waters he wasn't sure would ever quench his need.

Nick's lips closed over hers in soft, slow kisses. He felt her melt against him as he pressed his mouth to hers again and again. Jess rose up into the kiss, the tension between them building. Their mouths moved together more urgently, their kisses becoming more needy. Jess moaned as his tongue plunged into her mouth. She felt a swirling sensation in her belly, the thin fabric of her nightie an almost non-existent barrier between their bodies. The intense feeling inside her grew and grew, and she felt herself losing control, not knowing how to handle it.

Nick broke the kiss and began to move downward. The moment his mouth made contact with the skin of her neck, Jess let out a loud, involuntary giggle. He lifted his head and looked into her wide eyes. "Uh, something funny, Jess?"

_What was that? Why am I laughing?_

Jess sobered and shook her head, pressing her lips together to hide an obvious smirk. "No. Nope. Don't stop...Nick, keep going. Please." _What the hell? Why am I reacting this way? _She raised her eyebrows at him, encouraging him to continue.

Nick glanced at her a quick second before lowering his head to her neck again. Jess squealed through her lips, small bursts of air escaping just before another giggle. She squeezed her eyes shut, avoiding Nick's eyes. He let out an amused huff and moved off of her, leaning on his side next to her, waiting for an explanation.

Jess opened one eye and peered at him. "Nick...I am so sorry. I didn't mean to laugh. Really. I guess I'm just nervous. I wanted everything to be perfect tonight. I'm good now. I'm ready. Get a move on, Captain." She rose up a little and leaned back on her arms. She bit her lip, willing herself to calm down.

She had never wanted him more, but for some reason, her nervousness was leaking out in the form of laughter. She knew how sensitive Nick could be sometimes, and she didn't want to discourage him. Tonight she wanted to be everything that he needed. And here she was, creating weirdness, letting her crazy show again.

Nick chuckled. _Captain? _He gently stroked her cheek. "It's okay, Jess. I'm nervous too. I've wanted this for so long. Maybe we should slow down a little."

Nick trailed his finger down her neck and gently ran it back and forth over her upper boob. He stared into her eyes as he slipped his finger down into her cleavage. Jess held her breath and laid back down on the pillow. She swallowed another giggle, concentrating on the way his finger felt against the hyper sensitive skin. She closed her eyes and felt herself relaxing into his touch. He dipped a finger under her gown and touched her nipple, gently teasing it.

Nick smiled as her lips parted and a soft moan fell out. "Is that good?"

Jess closed her eyes and bit her lip. "Mmhmm..."

Nick slid his fingers underneath the straps of her gown and slowly pulled it down to her waist. Jess watched as he gently began to stroke her porcelain skin, gasping as his fingers swirled circles around her nipples. "Is this funny?" He leaned close to her mouth, breathing heavily. Jess shook her head and moaned again, unable to answer.

And then his mouth was all over her. Her lips, her cheek, her earlobe, her jaw. Then back on her neck. His hands moved down between her legs and continued their circular torture around her clit.

"How bout now? You wanna laugh now, Jess?" His teeth grazed her neck before he moved down and bit her shoulder. Her hands were in his hair, pulling at it, lost in the agony of what he was doing to her. "Not funny...Oooh, Nick. Please don't stop."

Jess whimpered as his slipped a finger inside her, pushing it in and then slowly pulling it out. She gasped out, "Kiss me, Nick. Please..." Nick kissed her hard, his body pressing hers down into the bed. He contined to pump his finger in and out of her, and she called out his name loudly, her hands running up and down his back, grabbing at his shoulders, her nails digging into his warm skin.

Nick felt her hands move lower and down into his boxers, gripping his ass cheeks. Then she quickly slid them around to the front, grabbing his now raging arousal and firmly squeezing it. Nick moaned so loud, it startled her for a moment and she loosened her grip. He tried to get control, whispering to her, "It's okay, don't stop...I love how that feels."

Jess took hold of him again and pumped her hand up and down his shaft, slowly at first, then more firmly, and faster. Nick groaned and rested his forehead against hers, breathing hard against her face, his whiskey-laced breath familiar and sexy as hell right now. His fingers were working her heat, stroking the wet folds, teasing her, wanting her to feel as good as he felt. Wanting to give her what she wanted. Wanting to give her everything.

Jess eyes connected to his cool brown gaze, overcome with emotion. "You are all that I want." Nick kissed her fast, his tongue lingering in her mouth, mingling with hers, reveling in how good it felt to hear her say those words. Then he consciously slowed down, carefully kissing her lips again and again.

For months he had let his defenses take control, holding himself back from her, unsure of himself, unsure of her. But in that moment, he let it all go. This sweet, sexy, amazing woman was finally giving herself to him. Right here, right now.

Nick broke the kiss, focusing on Jess with a new realization. Letting his heart take over, he looked deep into her eyes."You are everything I have ever wanted."

Jess wrapped her arms around him tightly, tears burning her eyes. This is what she wanted tonight to be. This is the man she wanted to be with. She kissed him deeply, lost in the feel of his hands all over her body, claiming every inch of it as his own.

She couldn't take it anymore. She needed him now. She reached down and pushed his boxers down his thighs, desperate to feel him inside of her, filling her. Nick grabbed her nightie, pulling it roughly over her hips and off her legs, then slipped his boxers the rest of the way off.

He kneeled in front of her on the bed, positioning himself at her entrance. He rubbed the tip of his cock against her heat and she let out a string of breathy moans. He stroked her clit up and down, and she almost came right then. "Yes, yes...ohhhh. That's it, Nick. Right there."

Nick hastily pushed into her, and she cried out at the sensation of him pushing deeper and deeper into her. She exhaled slowly, knowing this is where she wanted to be today, and tomorrow and every day after that. Jess spread her legs wider, wanting more of him, all of him, filling her, making her feel complete.

When he could go no further he stilled himself, trying to maintain control, wanting to bring her to the edge first. He rubbed her clit furiously with his fingers, and Jess' eyes rolled back into utter bliss, his name on repeat on her lips. She clawed his back, scraping red marks up and down him. He grunted at the pleasure pain, not caring as he thrust into her over and over. Jess continued to chant his name, encouraging him as he moved faster and faster.

Nick's mouth found her ear and he whispered, "Jessica...you wanna come, don't you? You need it...I need it...come on, honey..."

His words sent her over the edge, her muscles clenching hard around him as she rode wave after wave of the most intense pleasure she had ever felt. Nick repeatedly pumped into her, his own orgasm immediately chasing hers until they both collapsed in an exhausted heap on the bed. Their slick, wet bodies cooling from the relentless heat.

Nick rolled off her and leaned on his arm, in awe at the deeply satisfied woman lying next to him. He caught Jess' eye and they paused for a moment before both bursting into laughter.

"Something funny, Miller?" Jess attempted a serious face, then let out a string of giggles at his mock annoyance.

"So, is that on the foreplay list? Just starting off laughing? Cuz if that's what does it for ya..." Nick kissed her cheek, then pulled her body closer, wrapping her up in his arms. She was soft and warm, legs tangled up in his, her head resting on his chest.

He had never felt this happy in his entire life. For Nick Miller, grumpy young man, it was a new feeling. But for once, he didn't question it. She belonged to him now. She was his. Only his. Yeah, he was going with happy.

Jess relaxed into him, fatigue taking over as she started to drift off to sleep. "We're making a list? Well, add talking. Yep, that's the stuff. Just talk, talk, talk. You really know how to get a girl going in bed, sailor."

"Sailor? I thought it was Captain?" He chuckled, placing a kiss on top of her head, rubbing his nose against her soft hair, breathing in the fresh scent of coconut. "You know what, you can call me anything you want, Day."

Already halfway into a dream, Jess murmured, "In the morning, you can be Westly, and I'll be Buttercup, okay?"


End file.
